Severed
by bmaniavids
Summary: When Denna breaks Richard of his will, she commands him to kill Kahlan - resulting in a dangerous game of cat and mouse between the former lovers.
1. The Chase

Based loosely off the video 'He's Not the Man I Love' at my YouTube.

* * *

Kahlan didn't know how long she had been running. It seemed like an eternity, the days and nights blurring into each other. She hadn't slept in days and her body was weak from lack of eating. She didn't have time to stop and rest, to nourish herself. Kahlan's mind was focused on one thing and one thing only: run. Her legs were sore and her body was close to giving out, but each time she heard a rustle in the woods, she forced her limbs to continue forward. The bursts of adrenaline were weakening, her body too exhausted to provide the much needed energy.

If she didn't continue running, Richard would find her.

The day Denna had broken him was the most devastating day in Kahlan's life. The man she loved was now subjected to the will of a monster, a woman who takes joy in giving him pain. Upon breaking him, her first command had been to kill Kahlan. Before being broken, Richard had warned Kahlan that such a thing could happen, that he would rather be her slave than to Denna, begging Kahlan and tightly grabbing her hand and holding it to his throat. She had refused to confess him, now she was reconsidering her decision. Ever since then, she had been running from him.

Richard had become relentless. It seemed as though Denna's command alone fueled him, and his furiously fast pace wore Kahlan down quickly. He wouldn't stop for more than a mere hour, and despite the slight rest, Kahlan was never more than a few steps ahead of him at a time. Occasionally, she was able to hide out in wayward pines - the very trees that Richard had introduced her to so long ago. They provided shelter and safety, but were a sad reminder of the man she had once loved - the man she would never have again.

Kahlan sat in the wayward pine, her body collapsing once she found the shelter. She knew that Richard wouldn't be far behind, sword in hand. She was tired of running from him. Kahlan had never thought that she would be running from the very man she loved, scared that he would run her through with a blade she had helped bestow upon him. She breathed in the scent of the forest as her mind raced, her body falling to the damp floor. Despite her exhaustion, her eyelids wouldn't slide closed.

She had been running for three days. It seemed much longer. Kahlan's breathing was shallow, her body exerting all it's effort to take in air. If she stayed long, she knew she would die at the hands of her beloved.

However, Kahlan wasn't exactly sure she cared anymore. If she were to die by the hands of anyone, she'd prefer it to be Richard. Even though he was under the control of a Mord'Sith, somewhere deep inside he was still the kind and compassionate man who had captured her heart. He had tried to convince her of his love and she had pushed him away, claiming what they felt could never come to be. Kahlan still felt the kiss linger on her lips. Tears began streaming down her face, her body curling into a ball as she sobbed herself into slumber.

Soon, sweet release would be delivered.

xx

Richard stood in the clearing, scanning his eyes around the landscape. He had to find Kahlan. His mistress made certain that he knew his instructions: kill her, at any costs. He was surprised at her endurance, expecting her to fall under his steel long before tonight. At the same time, it was expected. Even though he now belonged to his mistress, he still knew Kahlan like the back of his hand. This knowledge allowed him to seep inside her head, determine her next moves.

Still, Kahlan had managed to evade him time and time again.

He had heard her trampling through the brush, her movements less thought out and more urgent than when the chase had first started. It was as if she knew that he was going to find her. The silence in the woods was unnerving and beginning to fool Richard to believe that she was there no longer.

Yet, he could still feel her presence.

Richard treaded lightly on the forest floor, tracking her steps in the soil. This was the closest in the past three days that he had gotten to her, and he was not about to waste the opportunity to please his mistress. If he failed his mistress, his life was worthless. His eyes surveyed the wayward pines that were scattered along the forest, looking for familiar signs of entrance. He knew Kahlan was in one of them.

His head jerked to the right when he heard a cough, his footsteps light and speedy as they made their way to the sound of the source. As Richard had expected, it was a wayward pine. He removed his scabbard from his belt, holding it in a tight grip as he climbed into the shelter. Richard almost tripped right over his target.

At his feet was Kahlan, curled up in the fetal position, her breathing slow and steady. Richard stepped over her, turning to crouch in front of her form. Her face was tear streaked, dirt matted onto her skin. Her dark hair was messy and tangled. Richard leaned in closer, adjusting his sight to the darkness in the wayward. She had large bags under her eyes, causing a stark contrast with her abnormally pale skin. Her body was slightly shaking, her brow furrowed.

Richard tightened his grip on the sword, slowing pulling it out of it's sheath and cringing when the distinctive sound rang through the air. He warily cast his glance at Kahlan, only to see her stir slightly but resume sleeping. He cursed himself as he placed his sword back in it's containment and let it fall to the ground beside him.

His mistress had given him very strict instructions, and now Richard couldn't muster up the strength to pull his sword from it's sheath. Now that he was in front of her, all his previous feelings were engulfing him, pulling him down into a sea of sorrow. He needed to kill her - letting her live wasn't an option. Letting her live would displease his mistress.

Richard pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to come up with a solution. Killing Kahlan would put her out of her misery and would please his mistress. The rationalization made sense to him, and now Richard was fully invested in spilling her blood all over the soil she was resting on. He reached for his sword, pulling it out swiftly and letting the sound resonate through the area. Richard gripped his weapon tightly, shifting his weight.

Kahlan let out a breath, "Richard?" Her voice was small but hope was present. Richard's eyes grew in shock as he felt his heart tug at him, urging him to lower his sword. If he was truly broken, why did he feel for this woman still? Why would he be willing to risk it all just to disobey his mistress and let her live? Richard's face distorted as he watched the sleeping form of the woman he had once loved. Then the memories of the night he had tried to confess his feelings for her all came slamming back into him.

She didn't want him.

Richard felt his emotions start running rampant and tried desperately to gain control of them once again. He clenched his teeth as his knuckles became white, his grip on the handle of his sword cutting his circulation. He let out a loud breath as he lifted the steel, preparing to plunge it into her exposed chest. Richard watched the rise and fall of her breaths.

The sword began barreling downward as Kahlan's eyes fluttered open.


	2. Failures

When Kahlan heard the movement, her eyes began opening only to see Richard in the midst of moving to slam his sword into her flesh. She involuntarily froze, her mind frantically trying to get her limbs to move to no avail. Her eyes began welling with tears in the split second it would have taken Richard to end her suffering.

Instead, he faltered.

Kahlan collected her thoughts and courses of action began racing through her mind. She didn't want to kill him - more precisely, she _wouldn't_ kill him. She looked up at him with blurry vision. His body was still, his sword wavering in trembling hands. Kahlan swallowed as she scrambled to her feet.

Richard watched her as she moved from her spot on the ground. He wasn't sure why he couldn't kill her - couldn't do what his mistress commanded of him. He had been so determined only moments before, but when her blue orbs settled on him, his heart stopped. And now, his body wouldn't move from it's stance. Kahlan had every opportunity to kill him at that very instant, and Richard was reasonably sure that he wouldn't be able to defend himself. His former emotions for her were obstructing his mission, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't keep them buried within the shell of the man he used to be. Richard began regaining his ability to move, but instantly stilled when Kahlan swiftly swung an arm in his direction, her hand gripping tightly around his neck. The Sword of Truth dropped from his hand and hit the soil with a thud.

Time was hers and hers alone. Richard wouldn't be able to escape her now, all she needed to do was release her power into him. Kahlan's fingers wrapped tighter around his neck, her mind and heart battling against one another. This was no longer the man she loved, but at the same time he was. She began rethinking her decision - she would much rather die than to confess him and figure out later that there was another solution. Her grip slacked, her lower lip trembling However, when Richard began to shift his weight, Kahlan resumed her deadly grip on his neck and released all her power into him. She watched through moisture ridden eyes as his dark, brown eyes went black. Kahlan choked back a sob as she let her hand fall, moving away from him as the color returned to his orbs. The next thing she saw surprised her.

Richard smiled wickedly at Kahlan, his hand reaching down to obtain the sword he had previously dropped. Her eyes went wide with shock when his fingers began wrapping around the hilt of the weapon. She frantically pushed her back against the inside of the shelter of the wayward pine, which now seemed more so like a cell.

Kahlan clenched her eyes shut when Richard began approaching her once again. How did her magic fail to take him? She began breathing slow and steady breaths, mentally preparing herself for the physical and emotional pain that was about to take place. Tears leaked from the corner of her eyes as she stifled back a whimper. At least it would all be over soon. Kahlan would no longer fear the touch of the man she loved - would no longer feel the need to run from him. She would wait for him in the Underworld, when his soul would finally be released from it's confinement. The man she loved would return to her in death, this much she was sure of. Kahlan's eyes slowly crept open when she felt the tip of the blade press into her collarbone. She inhaled deeply and made her face void of emotions - a Confessor's face. She would not allow the monster he had become to see any sort of weakness in her final moments.

Richard cocked his head to the side, the smile he was previously wearing withering. He watched curiously as she lifted her chin, showing no fear of her impending death. The behavior puzzled him. He had never recalled Kahlan acting in such a manner before, but then again - he had never seen her such an emotional mess during a battle either. He pressed the steel into her porcelain flesh until he saw blood begin tricking down her skin. Kahlan didn't even flinch.

Even though he had only been broken a short amount of time, Denna's influence was already wearing quite heavily on his behavior. He was now more rash and malicious, prone to insulting and taunting in situations where he wouldn't have said a word. Denna encouraged the behavior - claiming you must play with your victims before ending their worthless lives.

This was such a situation.

"Well, well, Mother Confessor," Richard drawled out, applying more pressure to his sword. Kahlan flinched, not because of the pain but because of the title. Richard had never referred to her as her birth right, let alone with such a dead and vindictive tone. The man she loved would never address her in such a way. The real Richard would never forgive himself if he was the reason for Kahlan's death. Suddenly, her actions seemed rather idiotic. Allowing herself to die at Richard's hands? It shouldn't have even been an option. Kahlan shook her head, laughing lightly to herself. Richard pressed harder into her flesh.

"What is so humorous?" Richard snapped, rage lacing his voice as his knuckles became white.

Kahlan continued to shake her head. Richard would rather her kill him. She needed to convince herself that this was not the man that she loved, that he was now a monster who needed to die. However, she couldn't manage to believe her own argument. Her brows furrowed as she felt the steel move away from her skin, her eyes finding their way to his once again. Kahlan watched as he positioned his face an inch away from hers. She could feel his hot breath on her lips.

"I asked you a question, Mother Confessor." His tone was dangerous, demanding an answer. Kahlan licked her lips, her heart hammering through her chest. Regardless of the threat in his voice, she wanted nothing more than to gather him in her embrace. Kahlan had to remind herself that he wasn't really Richard. She swallowed past the lump in her throat.

"Nothing is amusing, Seeker." Kahlan managed to choke out, the hot air from his mouth sending a shiver up her spine. She had never been this close to him before, aside from the night they shared their first kiss - their last kiss. The hard look in Richard's eyes bore right through her, but she still managed to find a glimpse of the man who dared to befriend her regardless of her power. His nose bumped against hers as he moved closer.

Richard couldn't stop his body from reacting to her. When tears trickled from her eyes, he wanted nothing more than to kiss them away. The thoughts disgusted him and his head began to throb from the effort to chase them away. His mistress would not be pleased to know he had been thinking romantically of his target, regardless if he had prior feelings for her. Now that he was a mere breath away from his lips joining with hers, his body was in a heightened state of awareness. He was aroused and threatened by her at the same time. Richard waited silently, feeling the soft pillows of her breath fluttering along his skin. Kahlan was not a stupid woman. She had daggers she could use to kill him - her body itself was a weapon. Although her confession didn't work on him, she was still a force to be reckoned with. Why her power hadn't taken him was beyond his comprehension, but he was thankful that it didn't. Now he could complete his task, if only he could draw away from Kahlan long enough to plunge his sword into her beating heart. Richard slid his eyes closed, trying to collect his thoughts and ease the throbbing in his head.

Kahlan swiftly shot her arms out, using them to break Richard's support, his body crashing on top of hers. She quickly rolled him off of her and grabbed the Sword of Truth, stumbling hastily out of the wayward pine as she began running wildly away from him. Richard cursed as he slammed his fists into the ground, mumbling under his breath as he gathered his senses and slowly stepped out of the shelter of the tree. His eyes surveyed the area. Kahlan was nowhere in sight.

Richard looked up, scanning the sky. The faint light of dawn began trickling through the tree leaves, spots of light dancing along the forest floor. It would soon be daybreak. Richard went to rest his hand on the hilt of his sword, only to remember that Kahlan had stolen it in her mad dash to escape him. The blood in his veins began boiling.

Soon enough he would be able to find her. Kahlan's white Confessor's dress would stand out in these forests. There was nowhere for her to hide. Giving her a head start was simply a courtesy that he had given her. Richard climbed back into the wayward pine, settling down where Kahlan once rested. His mind raced until he finally drifted off to sleep.


	3. Found

Kahlan sighed as she dragged the blade of Richard's sword along the ground. The additional weight was causing her to tire quickly, but she knew abandoning it would just result in him finding the weapon and using it against her once again. She stopped, using one hand to shield her eyes as she looked up at the sky. It would be nightfall soon. Kahlan had no idea where she was, wandering around aimlessly in the forested area until she came across a clearing.

Kahlan grimaced when she thought of how Richard would have known so easily where to go, where to hide for safety. However, she was hiding from him - not with him. The thought still shook her to the core. There were no wayward pines she could take refuge in, the area had many hills and very little shrubbery. She dropped the Sword of Truth to the ground and slumped against a tree trunk, resting her head against the bark. Her body needed rest.

xx

Richard was surprised with how much ground Kahlan had managed to cover in the short amount of time he had given her to flee. He felt rather naked without his sword, the weapon helping him keep his rage intact. Instead, he now thought rather fondly of Kahlan, the memories of past experiences flooding him with regret for what he was about to do.

Denna was his mistress, he would please her at all costs - even if one of these costs was his sanity, which he was sure he would lose after he ended Kahlan's life.

He quickly became frustrated, unable to find her. When he looked ahead, all he could see was a vast expanse of trees. Richard found himself relieved that he couldn't find her, knowing that as long as he wasn't around her - he couldn't kill her. However, his instructions were rather clear. Richard glanced around the woods, looking to the ground for tracks Kahlan had left. He knew that she wasn't making an effort to cover them, but he still found them rather difficult to find. This only added to his frustration.

After he had rested in the wayward pine, he had left to gather a small pack he had been carrying the whole time while hunting her. Richard abandoned it when he had found her, not wanting the extra luggage to weigh him down or be used against him. The pack was now the only thing he could use to defend himself - his sword stolen. It held small items of food, a pouch of water, and a small knife along with a makeshift crossbow. He thought it was odd that Denna had packed him the extra weapons, his mind fully set on killing Kahlan with his sword. Denna instinctively picked up on his comments and told him that he should never underestimate the Mother Confessor, that she was deadlier and more clever than anyone gave her credit for - even the old Richard.

Richard cursed at himself as he stepped through a mass of vines, upset that he had let the one chance he had to kill Kahlan slip through his fingers - all because of emotions and lust that he should no longer have for her. He could still feel her breath against his skin, her body under his as he fell on top of her after her strategically maneuvered attack. Richard slung the bag around his shoulder and fumbled with the ties, pulling out the small knife and tucking it in his belt before closing the pack and repositioning it on his back. It held small comfort, but comfort none the less.

xx

Kahlan took a deep breath as she glanced at the sword in front of her, her hands reaching to pull it closer to her. Her fingers traced the hilt of the sword, the word 'truth' adorning the handle. She thought it rather ironic that the Seeker of Truth was now bound to a Mord'Sith and her sick amusement. He no longer fought for truth - he fought for Denna. Kahlan felt moisture come to her eyes when she thought of how he used to fight for her. Her fingers slid down the blade, feeling the cool steel against her flesh. Kahlan swallowed, thinking of how this very sword could have been pierced through her heart. The man she loved used this sword to fight for good, and now the monster he had become was using it try and kill her. The sword used to be a symbol of goodness and virtue, of righteousness. Now she only viewed it as a nightmare. Her hands were now where Richard's hands had resided so long ago. This was the sword he had used to kill a D'Haran who was about to end her life, slicing into him quickly and letting his body fall to the ground. The fire burning behind Richard only made him seem like a good spirit in the flesh as he turned around and offered her his hand. That was the second day that they had known each other.

Kahlan choked back a sob as she threw the weapon. She was still weak, and the sword only managed to fly a few feet away from her. All that mattered to her was that it was out of reach. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her cheek on her knees, letting tears fall freely now. It would soon be night.

**xx**

Richard bit his cheek as he moved through the woods, ducking under branches and making no attempts to make his approach secretive. He just wanted to find her, that would be a triumph in itself. Richard realized that he would be content just finding her, that that was his new mission - not necessarily killing her, not right away. He cursed, fully aware that his rage was dying because his sword was not there to fuel it. He needed to get his hands on it once again if he wished to please his mistress - who, no doubt, was becoming aggravated with his prolonged absence.

He sighed in relief when he stepped into a clearing, now free of the woods. Richard had followed her tracks to the best of his abilities, and doubts ran across his mind that maybe she had taken a different direction. Richard smiled when he looked at the ground, her footsteps more clear and precise.

Kahlan had definitely gone this way.

Richard crouched, slowly moving forward. The area was scarcely covered, only a few trees growing. Hills were everywhere, some high enough for a person to hide behind. Richard considered this as he made his way past the mounds, taking note of how Kahlan was small and able to contract her body when it came to hiding. She was always quite good at hiding.

His breath caught in his throat after taking a few steps, seeing a slumped white figure leaning against a tree. She wasn't even trying to hide from him. Richard saw a glint of light reflect off of something, and he scanned the area until he found what caused the flare. He smiled when he realized it was the Sword of Truth. He noticed Kahlan's body was slightly shaking - she was no doubt crying.

The thought made his heart shatter. Richard shook his head, hoping to dispel the feelings. He reached into his pack, slowly pulling out the makeshift crossbow. He knew that from this distance, she wouldn't hear his movements - but he was still cautious. He positioned the small arrow against the indentation of the bow, squinting an eye as he focused on her.

From where he was, he couldn't make an effective hit. Kahlan's head was turned away from him, her side being the only thing he had access to. A small movement of her arm could prevent the arrow from dealing a deadly blow. Richard crouched lower behind the brush, making an elaborate swing with his arm so that the leaves and branches made a loud sound. Kahlan jumped slightly, turning her head in his direction.

Richard let go of the drawstring.


	4. Unexpected

Denna paced, circling around the small room that she used as a torture chamber for her pets. She was getting rather angry that it was still empty. It had been five days since Richard charged madly out of the city and began chasing Kahlan. Either he was dead, or had failed to complete his task. With the rate it was taking him to finish his mission, Denna hoped it was the former. Taking this long was unacceptable.

Under normal circumstances, she would have thought nothing of the delay. It often took much time to travel place to place, with various circumstances and situations that would stand in the way. However, she knew that Kahlan couldn't have gotten too far, and she also knew that Richard was rather fast. Perhaps she had underestimated the Mother Confessor once again. Denna would be very displeased if her prize was killed by the likes of a Confessor.

Denna had felt very accomplished when she had finally broken Richard. He had been the hardest of her pets to train - the most persistent in his love for another. It took her many hours of pressing her agiel deep into his skin and belittling him for Richard to finally break under the pressure. Kahlan had been held in the dungeons while Denna finished her goal, and the dark haired woman was quickly brought up to be slaughtered by Denna's new pet. However, it hadn't went the way she had planned.

That was the first time she underestimated Kahlan. She had expected Kahlan to wither away, to accept her fate at being killed at her love's hands, but instead she struck back, knocking Richard to the ground and maneuvering through the guards. In a split second, Kahlan had managed to escape and be well out of the palace before Denna could comprehend what was happening. She immediately ordered Richard to kill her - at any costs.

Denna sighed as she heard the door behind her scrape open, nervous footsteps stumbling in. She turned her head slightly, her blonde braid swinging.

"Yes?" Denna was in no mood to hear what the scared little soldier had to say, her mind wandering off to Richard and his whereabouts. She glanced back at the man and saw him staring at the ground, her attitude becoming even more sour. "Out with it."

"Lord Rahl is coming to view your progress, he says he is quite enthused about seeing the Seeker broken and loyal to D'Hara." The young man stammered, realizing very quickly that the Seeker was not in the room and that the Mord'Sith was highly irritable. He swallowed.

"Excellent." Denna spat, tugging on the chains that formerly held Richard. She glared at the man. "Is there anything else you have yet to say, you incompetent fool?" The soldiers eyes went wide as he shook his head, quickly scurrying out of the room, leaving Denna to her thoughts. "Just excellent," she muttered under her breath.

If Richard was not going to succeed in the simplest of tasks, then she would have to send someone more able and up to the deed. Lord Rahl would have his loyal Seeker, Denna was going to make sure of it.

xx

Kahlan gasped as she saw the arrow coming towards her, her body jerking to the side as she watched Richard run towards her at full speed, going straight for his sword. The arrow scraped across her cheek as her body turned, dodging the main blow. Kahlan gathered her wits and abandoned her previous notions, grabbing a dagger from her boot and throwing it at Richard's running form, his knees buckling and falling to the ground. She had hit him in the soft flesh by his shoulder - but not his heart. Kahlan sighed in relief.

She had been well aware that someone was observing her, and she was positive it had been Richard. What she didn't expect was an arrow to be shot in her direction, straight into her forehead. Kahlan pressed her palms into the ground, pushing herself up as her head cocked towards Richard, who was staring at the dagger embedded into his flesh. He was obviously shocked that she had struck against him, especially with a weapon.

Kahlan took the opportunity and scrambled towards his sword, wrapping her hand around the hilt as she used it to support her weight as she stood. Richard was only a few feet away from her, his brown eyes looking intently at her. They weren't as cold and harsh as they had been the other night in the wayward. Kahlan swallowed past the lump in her throat, hoping to rid of her dire need to embrace him. She gripped the sword tighter, her knuckles becoming white.

Richard looked down at the dagger. It hadn't be a deadly blow, and he knew if Kahlan wished to have killed him with her weapon, she would have. He was sure his left arm would be incapacitated for a period of time, no doubt displeasing his mistress. A part of him wished she had aimed to kill. It infuriated him that his sword was just out of reach. If Richard could touch a small amount of it's rage, he'd be able to kill Kahlan without so much as a second thought. He was now rendered helpless against her, his emotions quickly overwhelming him. The sword being near was enough for him to push away such loving thoughts of her, push away the need to comfort her.

The steel wasn't too deep in his skin, but it hadn't helped that he ran straight into the blow. Richard wrapped his fingers around the handle, slowly pulling out the weapon and letting it fall to the ground. Kahlan glanced at the discarded weapon and then redirected her gaze towards Richard.

"You're abandoning your weapon," she drawled out, unsure of how to react. Her grip on his sword never loosened.

"No, I'm abandoning _your_ weapon." Richard stated, taking a step forward as Kahlan took two steps back. He gestured to the sword. "I would very much like to have _my_ weapon back." He wasn't surprised when she shook her head at him.

"Not a chance, Cypher." Kahlan took another step back, flinching when her back hit a tree. Richard didn't move towards her, keeping his distance a few feet away. "Giving this back to you would be my destruction." Richard smiled as he nodded at her, Kahlan's blood running cold.

Kahlan's eyes diverted to his bleeding flesh, suddenly feeling a pang of sorrow that she knew she shouldn't regard. However, all she wanted to do now was heal him. She blinked furiously, attempting to prevent the tears from forming in her eyes. She failed.

"Why haven't you killed me?" Kahlan asked, her voice small and wavering.

"I've tried," His voice was softer than she had expected.

"I've seen you kill many, you had the chance to end my life last night. Why am I so difficult for you to kill?"

"My feelings for you hinder my abilities. It's much easier forme to draw off of the wrath of my sword to dispel them than it so for me to do so without it." Richard was surprised with how truthful he was being with her, how he had openly admitted that he couldn't kill Kahlan without his sword. He hoped she would realize the implications of that and find a way to keep it from him, even if he'd try to get it back with his dying breath.

Kahlan blinked, she was speechless. "But your mistress demanded it." Her voice was shaky, her mental state slowly deteriorating.

"That she did," Richard took a step forward and Kahlan froze, her body going into a state of automatic panic. She didn't want to kill Richard. Her wavering stance on the subject made her feel sick to her stomach. Richard was only a step away from her when Kahlan made a desperate attempt to draw him back from his broken state.

"I lied," She stammered, her words rushed and her blood racing through her veins. Richard stopped.

"What?" He cocked his head to the side, his hands clasped behind his back.

"About not feeling the same towards you," Kahlan eyed him nervously. "I lied." Richard felt his heart beat faster, his mind racing. Even though Denna controlled him, his emotions ran freely and he now wanted nothing more than to steal Kahlan away and isolate them from the world. His inner struggle between Kahlan and Denna was tiring. Denna would win because of torture, Kahlan would win because of love. At that moment, the love controlled him more than the pain did.

"You lied?" Richard asked incredulously. She nodded, her grip on the Sword of Truth finally slackening. This was the last attack she had in her arsenal, the last thing she could do to try and bring the man she loved back to her - the man she had rejected. If she had never pushed him away, never left, then he wouldn't be broken, wouldn't be hunting her.

Richard blinked, his eyes now scanning the ground. One of the motivating factors of killing her was the fact that he felt she hadn't wanted him. He pulled the hurt and sorrow from that and combined it with the rage of his sword, intermingling the two into a deadly mixture that demanded blood. Now that he knew she felt the same, he could no longer thrive off of those feelings. The only thing he could draw on now was the fact that Denna had commanded it - but he knew that wouldn't be enough. Maybe she was lying to save her life. When Richard looked back at her, the previous thought was abandoned. Kahlan's eyes were filled with tears, the moisture streaking down her face. She dropped the sword and let out a whimper.

Despite his best efforts not to, Richard closed the distance and wrapped his arms around her, allowing her to sob into his skin. The contact only made her cry more, her body shaking with the effort. His embrace was numb, his mind reluctant but his heart willing. Richard continued to hold her until he felt her body relax, the tears no longer hitting his skin. He pulled back, letting his arms drop to the side as she wiped her face.

"I will kill you if you do not kill me." Richard said, looking into Kahlan's pained eyes.

"I could never kill you," she breathed out, clenching her eyes shut. Kahlan fully expected him to grab the sword she had dropped, but he took another step back instead.

"You must find the strength, Kahlan. Soon you will have to kill me if you wish to live."

"No!" She yelled, her hands curled into fists. "You can resist it, you just did!"

"I don't know why, but my bond with you seems to be altering my bond with Denna. When I get back to her, she will surely beat me into submission once again, and I will no longer need the Sword of Truth to draw out anger. I do not wish to kill you, but I can not disobey my mistress either. Not again. I will pay highly for this betrayal." Richard leaned down and picked up the dagger he had dropped earlier, tucking the blade into his belt. A reminder of his love. "I still love you Kahlan, but I'm torn, conflicted. Even the strongest men break under a Mord'Sith. If you claim to feel the same way towards me, you need to know that when the time comes - you'll have to kill me."

Kahlan shook her head, not believing what she was hearing. The whole time he had been chasing her, his sword had always been in hand. Perhaps he was right. It seemed probable that he drew his hate and anger from the sword, allowing him to feel no remorse and blindly charge at her with the intent to kill. She now possessed the sword. He made no attempt to reclaim it - not yet, anyways. Kahlan picked the sword off the ground, shifting it in her hand until it was comfortable.

Richard took a step forward, guiding the blade with his hand and resting the weapon's tip on the flesh above his heart. "Do it now and save the heartache time will cause." Richard's eyes pleaded with her, his mouth unable to say all the words he wished to tell her. Kahlan shook her head, trying to pull her hand away. Richard's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Kahlan froze under his touch.

Richard held her there for a moment before letting go of her and stepping backwards, allowing Kahlan's arm to drop and the sword to hang at her side. She watched him with blurry vision as he walked away from her.

Kahlan stood in the same position until night came, her mind racing and reeling. Her body finally collapsed, her tears coming in never ending torrents.


	5. Broken

The shackles dug into Richard's wrists, blood caking onto his skin. His head was hung low, his eyes following Denna's boots as she circled around him like a hawk. When he had come back with news that was not satisfactory, Denna punished him to the best of her abilities. He had lost consciousness several times, only enraging the Mord'Sith more. His torso was covered in blood and welts, his eyes almost swollen shut, his jaw throbbing from being back handed with her leather clad hand so frequently.

She taunted his incompetence and failure. Despite the torture Richard was being put through, his heart sang with the fact that Kahlan was still alive. The conflicting emotions were evident, and Denna would only strike him more. Richard hoped for death on many occasions, but his never ending love for Kahlan would cause him to wish to live and become free from Denna's grasp. However, Denna was slowly but surely making Richard's heart hard and cold once again. It wouldn't be long before he'd be begging to end the Mother Confessor's life.

Denna traced her fingers along Richard's ribs, causing him to flinch. She smiled wickedly as her gaze returned to his. "We have a very short amount of time to break you once again, my pet. Lord Rahl wishes to see our progress," she lingered closer to his lips. "But I intend to show him the end result."

Richard clenched his eyes shut, preparing for the agiel to hit his skin. He yelled until his throat was hoarse. Denna smiled up at him once again, the back of her hand lightly brushing against his cheek.

"My pet, you will bow to Lord Rahl." Her gaze was soft, her certainty in breaking him unwavering. Richard nodded his head against her hand and she leaned forward to place a kiss on his bloodied lips. "You will do anything for me, won't you?" She purred, her leather creaking as she kicked a lever that caused Richard to be lowered closer to the ground.

"Yes, Mistress." His voice was barely audible, his throat so sore from his constant screaming. Richard felt the emotions for Kahlan start to leave him, his fear of Denna overtaking him. He was just a slave, a simple puppet that Denna commanded. Richard would bend to her will, and this time, she wouldn't need the sword to fuel her commands.

"This is all Kahlan's fault, you are aware of this, are you not?" Denna took a step back, rolling her agiel in her hands. Richard stared at her dumbfounded. She laughed at him. "If she would have never left you alone in those woods, would have never denied your love, then you wouldn't be in this situation at all." Her smile was causing Richard's blood to boil.

"You're wrong," the strength it took for him to hold up his head was enormous, his body wanting to go into comatose. "She loves me."

Denna's facial went sour, as well as her attitude. "Oh, does she?" She hissed.

"I was about to kill her, and then she told me she lied. She dropped my sword, leaving herself defenseless," he looked up at Denna, who was scowling and gripping her agiel tightly in her hand. "Instead of taking the opportunity to do as you commanded, I embraced her, encouraging her to kill me." Denna's jaw dropped. Richard smiled weakly. The Mord'Sith walked towards him, pressing her agiel under his chin, forcing him to look her in the eye.

"If she really loved you, she would have done as you wished instead of leaving you in the hands of someone like myself."

The next few hours were agonizing, Denna torturing him more than he could have thought possible. He longed for death, and she would bring him to the cusp of it before leaving momentarily to allow him to gain a fraction of his strength back. Denna always came back with more of a vengeance than before, beating him more severely each encounter. Pain overwhelmed him, his body growing numb and his mind succumbing to her.

Richard didn't know when exactly he had been broken, but he was fully aware he was now in the palm of her hands once again. His whole mind circulated around Denna now, thoughts of Kahlan long ago abandoned. Denna was his world.

"If I would have known one day of intense training would produce this result, I wouldn't have been so gentle and kind." She was wearing her white leather, her hands clasped behind her back as she sauntered over to him. "Just in time for Lord Rahl as well. You've done well, my pet." Denna placed a kiss on his lips, letting her teeth scrape along his broken flesh. "What are you thinking about, Seeker?"

"Killing the Mother Confessor." Denna smiled as her hand buried itself in his hair, kissing him deeply and violently in approval to his answer.

xx

Kahlan stood nervously in the grand room, the room where the Mother Confessor rules from. She should feel comforted, but instead she was a wreck. It had taken her many days to reach Aydindril, her body and mind spent. The encounter with Richard had taken all of her strength, her body sagging to the ground and clasping his sword for a day before she found the will to stand and begin moving once again.

Now, she was waiting to tell Richard's grandfather that she had failed at keeping him safe.

She closed her eyes, hoping the moisture coming to them would dissolve. Kahlan was quite sick of crying. Despite her constant state of depression and fear, her body always found a way to produce more tears. She swallowed past the lump in her throat as she heard the robes of the wizard shuffle along the marble floor.

"My dear, it's so very nice to see you again! Where is Richard?" Zedd boomed, ignoring her ragged appearance and moving to embrace her in a hug. He stopped short when she wouldn't lift her head in greeting towards him. "Kahlan, dear, is everything alright?"

Kahlan looked up at him with glassy eyes as she shook her head, her lower lip quivering. "I've, I've failed Richard." She choked out, her body already starting to shut down.

"What ever do you mean, child?" Zedd took a step back, attempting to give her more room to breathe and gather herself. It was to no avail.

"He was captured by a Mord'Sith," when her eyes cleared a bit, she saw the old man's jaw agape. "Denna, she broke him. He's been hunting me. He begged me to kill him, I couldn't do it, it's all my fault-"

"A Mord'Sith?" Zedd questioned, his eyes large. "How, how did he get captured by a Mord'Sith?" Kahlan clenched her eyes shut, dreading the question.

"The night before, he kissed me. I pushed him away and told him we could never be," Zedd nodded at Kahlan, but all Kahlan felt was shame and sorrow. "The next morning, I told him I didn't feel anything for him, that he would be safer without me. I left."

"You left the Seeker alone?" Zedd roared, his frame towering over Kahlan as she shut her eyes and tried to keep herself from collapsing to the cold floor.

"You weren't far, I didn't think it would take much time for him to get to you - I didn't think there would be any danger in it." Kahlan shook her head as guilt washed over her again. A few hours before that fateful night with the kiss, Zedd had informed them he had business to attend to in Aydindril. He left shortly after, informing the two to be safe and protect each other as he began out on his journey.

Zedd closed his eyes and Kahlan saw tears on his withered cheeks. "Richard is gone now, my dear." He said sullenly, backing further away from her as if she disgusted him. "I'm assuming Denna sent for Richard to kill you?" Kahlan nodded slightly. "You should have killed him and ended his misery instead of allowing him to wander back to that monster."

Kahlan's mouth fell open as she watched the wizard leave the room. Surprisingly, tears wouldn't come to her eyes. Her body shook as she walked forward and traced her fingers along the wood of the Mother Confessor's chair. Kahlan gently sat down in it, drawing her knees up to her chest.

Although for different reasons, Kahlan was just as broken as Richard.


	6. New Plans

Richard swayed on his feet, the insistent tug of the collar around his neck forcing his stance to falter. Denna held the end of his leash in her white leathered hand, standing like a statue in the front of the cellar as she waited for Darken Rahl to arrive. She would flick her hand occasionally, causing Richard to jerk as the metal around his neck bit into his skin. Denna hadn't said anything to him all morning, but he was clear on his instructions. Succumb to the Lord Rahl.

It seemed like an eternity before the man walked into the room, flanked by two D'Haran soldiers. Richard blinked and tried to keep still, his swaying causing him to feel sick and nauseated. Although he was positioned behind her, he was sure Denna was smiling at her victory.

"Lord Rahl," she dipped her head, lowering herself slightly before returning his gaze.

"Mistress Denna," he greeted as he eyed her up and down, no doubt assessing her and appraising her body. She didn't mind. "I see this is the Seeker, no doubt broken?" Darken asked as he walked over to Richard, taking in his cowering form.

"Yes, my lord." She stated bluntly, tugging on the leash and forcing Richard to take a step towards the man Richard had known as an enemy for so long.

"Your incompetence has benefited you, Richard. I have had a change in plans and no longer wish to have the Mother Confessor killed." Richard warily glanced between Darken and Denna, unsure of what to do. He had been punished for so long for allowing her to live, and now it was viewed as a good choice. Richard swallowed as he looked at his mistress.

"Do you mind my asking why, Lord Rahl?" Denna's composure quickly came back, her shock no longer evident, but still hidden beneath her features. Darken smiled as he looked at her.

"She is, after all, the only living Confessor that we know the location of. Not only that, but she is the most powerful Confessor of them all. We can use her," his gaze returned to Richard as his finger slipped into one of the links in the chain around his neck. Darken tugged at it. "You are going to deliver her here." Richard nodded as Darken and Denna both smiled.

"What can we use her for,my lord?" Denna asked incredulously.

"As much as I appreciate the methods of the Mord'Sith," Darken reached over and placed a hand on her cheek. "It would be much easier to confess my enemies than to break them. Giller has been experimenting with prisoners, he may be on the breakthrough of harnessing the Confessor's power. If he has a very powerful, very alive Confessor, his progress would greatly increase." Denna's facial faltered and Darken dropped his hand from her flesh, redirecting his gaze towards Richard. "Don't worry, Denna, you will still be of very great use to me." Denna smiled and nodded, relieved to know that she would still be needed.

"Now, Richard, are you sure you are up to this task? You have failed once before, and regardless that that very failure has benefited me, it was a failure none the less." Richard nodded, glancing at Denna and then nodding more furiously. "Good," Darken drawled out, turning his back and dismissing the other soldiers that had accompanied him.

xx

Richard walked along the forest, adjusting the pack on his shoulder. Lord Rahl had given him specific instructions, well, namely just two: do not kill the Mother Confessor, and bring her back to his holding cell. He vowed to himself that he would not fail.

Denna had done her job effectively, he now thoroughly hated the Mother Confessor through and through. Richard blamed Kahlan for his weaknesses, for his failures. Denna was right, if Kahlan did love him she would have ended his suffering. She didn't, therefore, she didn't love him. She had lied to him once again.

Richard scoffed as he ducked under branches, his body still sore and beaten. He was surprised he could travel as fast as he did. Denna denied him the privilege of a horse, claiming that he needed to accommodate to his wounds and learn to maneuver with them, in case the Mother Confessor wouldn't come willingly. Richard was sure she would.

He sighed in relief as he saw the huge city rise before him. After a week of traveling, he had finally reached his destination: Aydindril. Richard smiled as he trucked forward. The city was loosely guarded, the men at the front gates not asking Richard anything as he passed through. It didn't take long for him to find the Confessor's Palace, where Darken Rahl said Kahlan would be residing.

However, acquiring entrance into the palace wasn't as easy as it was to get into the city. He sighed as two guards blocked him from the main door.

"State your business." The burlier of the men spat.

"I'm a friend of the Mother Confessor." Richard put all his confidence behind the statement, hoping it was believable. After all, he had once been a friend of Kahlan. He had once hoped to be more than a friend to her. The men didn't look convinced. "She is my Confessor." The men laughed.

"She is everyone's Confessor, boy." Richard scowled, resenting being called a boy. It was only a term of endearment from his grandfather, whom he no longer cared about. The only person he cared about was Denna, and whoever she informed him to care about.

"But everyone is not the Seeker," Richard hissed through clenched teeth. The men froze in shock, their previous demeanor withering away. The two nodded at each other before gesturing for Richard to follow them. He smiled to himself as he treaded through the halls of the Confessor's Palace.

The hallways themselves were grand, the vast expanse of marble seeming never ending. Tapestries were hung along the stone, rich mahogany tables by the walls. If the building wasn't built for the use of Confessors, he might have found joy in it. Instead, he was disgusted.

The men led him to two large doors, gently pushing them open. Richard didn't wait for their cue and quickly shuffled into the room, finding it packed. Kahlan was standing at the front of the room, informing everyone of the sentence she was giving the criminal that stood before her. Richard walked in as Kahlan ordered the guards to take the man to something known as 'the pit.'

It didn't take long for Kahlan's gaze to find Richard. Her mouth fell open as her eyes grew wide, unsure of how to proceed. She couldn't tell if he was still broken or not, but from the cold, dead look in his eyes - she knew her answer. Kahlan swallowed past the lump in her throat before finding her voice.

"Thank you for attending this meeting, you are all dismissed." She continued to stand as everyone made their way through the door, some cursing that Richard wouldn't step aside and let them through. Kahlan watched as the people parted around him, his body still as stone. She gestured for the guards to close the doors behind Richard as he took a few steps forward.

"What are you doing here, Richard?" She cautiously stepped down from her seat.

"I need you to come with me, Mother Confessor." Kahlan flinched, her concerns now set in stone. He was still broken. Despite this, she still felt like he stabbed her in the heart by calling her by her title.

"What? You do not wish to kill me?"

"Not any longer, there are new plans for you." Kahlan pursed her lips as she sighed and shook her head.

"I will not come with you, Richard .." Kahlan trailed off, her mind racing. What were these new plans?

"There is a D'Haran army stationed only a day's ride from Aydindril," Kahlan's head jerked up to meet his gaze, which was still cold. "If you do not come with me, they will attack and lay waste to your precious city." Richard's words were laced with venom and she stared in shock.

"What are these newly developed plans?" Kahlan asked meekly, her voice failing her.

"You will find out soon enough," Richard took another step forward, now dangerously close to Kahlan. "Come with me." It was a command, not a question. Kahlan sighed as she glanced around the room, looking desperately for an escape, for Zedd to come booming into the room and finding a way to fix this. No one came. She swallowed as she returned her gaze to him.

Un-expectantly, Richard lifted his hand towards her, urging her to take it and come with him. Kahlan knew she shouldn't do this, shouldn't succumb to this and go with him to what she assumed would be her death. However, she wasn't stupid. She had no doubt there was a D'Haran army close by, and she knew they would attack. Kahlan had a nagging feeling they would attack regardless, but if she could possibly stop the ordeal by going with Richard, then that's what she was going to do. She was the Mother Confessor, she must protect the Midlands at all costs. Kahlan swallowed past the lump in her throat, resting one had on her stomach to try and settle her sudden nausea.

Kahlan's blue eyes met Richard's cold ones as she extended her hand and allowed Richard to tug her forward.


	7. Contrast

Kahlan swayed in her saddle, her head throbbing and her stomach turning. Despite Richard's urgent attitude, Kahlan had managed to convince him that she needed to bring a pack along. He finally relented, reluctantly. Although she knew it was a terrible and dangerous idea, she had strapped the Sword of Truth onto her back. Richard noticed, eyeing it warily but paying no mind. Kahlan had hoped that she would see Zedd along the halls as she frantically shoved belongings into her bag, but she didn't. Richard had acquired two horses, rationalizing that although Denna had said not to use one on the way to Aydindril, that the journey back was a different story. After all, Kahlan had already agreed to come, Richard was sure no harm would come of having a little comfort on their no doubt long and uncomfortable travel.

The two hadn't spoken since the time in Aydindril. Although it had only been two days, Kahlan yearned for the voice of Richard. She missed talking with him, hearing his bellowing laughter. However, she hadn't built up enough courage to talk with him, and he didn't seem to mind the lack of communication. It made her heart break all the more.

Richard wasn't lying about the D'Haran army. After a day's ride, Kahlan saw the large collection of soldiers and her heart had stopped. She saw Richard give who she assumed was the general a nod, and she prayed to the spirits that it was signaling for them to leave Aydindril be. She would glance over her shoulder periodically to see them packing up their belongings, hopefully going back to D'Hara - or wherever she was being led.

And now Kahlan was riding on a big white mare, following Richard through unmarked paths. She observed him as he rode, taking note of how he moved so naturally with the horse and how the sweat clung to his back, soaking through his shirt. The man was familiar yet foreign at the same time. She saw no glimpse of hope in his eyes as she had in the beginning, as she had seen in the woods. Richard was long gone. Kahlan had to stifle back a sob when she thought of all she had lost, what she never really had.

Richard lifted his hand to shield his eyes as he looked up at the sky. It would be dark soon, and a painfully awkward night would occur once again. The sight of Kahlan disgusted him, the thought of talking with her making him desperately want to impale himself on his sword - which was now strapped to her back. He had tried to come up with plans to retrieve his sword, but every time he made an attempt she would stir in her sleep or mumble some inaudible sounds, causing Richard to lose his nerve. It didn't matter, Denna would soon return to him what was so rightfully his.

Kahlan was slowing down Richard's pace, only irritating him more. He had traveled at break neck speed, on foot, in order to get to her quickly, and now he was forced to travel more slowly to accommodate her. What he had seen in Kahlan so long before, he had no idea. She was a burden, a hindrance. Richard huffed as he slowed his horse down more, adjusting to her pace. It didn't seem to matter, they would soon need to stop for the night anyways.

Richard scanned the area, searching for an area large enough that they could rest for the night. He had taken to occupying the side of camp furthest away from her, turning his back to Kahlan so he wouldn't have to look at her face. She was the reason he had displeased his mistress, what made Denna so furious at him.

They rode for another hour before Richard found a place suitable for camp. It was dusk, the sun hovering low in the sky. Kahlan sighed as she breathed in the fresh scent of the woods. When she had first met Richard, he had taught her the wonders of the forest, how it could be beautiful and majestic. She now viewed it as a prison of her own doing. She watched as he quickly set up camp, no doubt glad to turn away from her once again. Even though Kahlan knew it wasn't truly Richard, it pained her each time he moved to the other side of camp, finding more enjoyment in looking out into the trees than gazing upon her. There once was a time when he would stay awake and watch her sleep. Kahlan could feel his eyes on her, even while she was dreaming.

Richard tossed her a bedroll and adjusted himself on his own, glaring at her as he pulled dried meat out of his pack and throwing it in her direction. Kahlan flinched as the food was thrown at her, but she caught it before it hit the ground. She swallowed past her sadness before she began lightly chewing on the meat. She took solace in knowing that at least he had an interest in her being alive, even if it was to kill her later.

Kahlan watched as he began his ritual of turning away from her. Her heart started to hammer, dreading it as if it were death itself. In a way, it was.

"It doesn't have to be this way," she croaked, her voice sounding more pleading than she would have wished. Kahlan saw him freeze in his movements and her heart jumped into her throat. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth as she anticipated his next movement. Instead of turning to her and acknowledging her, he continued to lay down, never giving her a response.

Kahlan didn't try to hide her sob.

xx

Kahlan began resenting herself. She was slowly starting to hate Richard, her mind corrupting all the pleasant memories she had of him. His uncaring demeanor and curt attitude towards her made her want to scream, to plunge her dagger into his chest. It wouldn't matter much anyways, he wasn't the Richard she knew and loved. He'd be subject to Denna for as long as he lived, which, for his sake, she hoped wasn't long. Perhaps if she wasn't so cowardly she'd end his life herself. For these thoughts, she began hating herself.

It had been three days since her attempt at talking with him, the mood between the two more uncomfortable than it had ever been. Instead of becoming upset like she usually had done, Kahlan became bitter and malicious. Richard seemed to respond more to her negative behavior, which only made her heart sink more. Granted, the reactions weren't large. He would scoff at her insults or cast her a glance. The most she ever received from him was 'whatever you say, Mother Confessor.' The simple line made her blood boil, and only caused her to spew more insults.

Kahlan hated that she was insulting him, but her tongue wouldn't hold still. She hated him, what he became. Richard obviously hated her, attempting to be civil with him was a lost cause. If the only communication she could get from him was from being horrid to him, then so be it. She knew they were only a few days away from reaching their destination.

She glared as she watched Richard setting up camp once again. Kahlan now refused the meat he'd throw her way, letting the food fall to the ground. As far as she was concerned, she was heading to her death anyways - might as well speed up the process. She would see Richard fume when she wouldn't eat, which made her heart lift slightly. Regardless if it was for different reasons, he still cared. Maybe that's why she had become fond of wasting the food that was given to her.

Richard was slightly shocked by her new behavior, yet intrigued at the same time. He had never seen Kahlan act so viciously, never heard such vile language come out of her mouth. It excited him. He now watched her more carefully. He kept an eye on her while he lowered himself onto his bedroll, offering food another time before she pursed her lips and shook her head at him.

The woman was infuriating.

"Mother Confessor, this is ridiculous. You need to eat." Richard snapped, unaware of how angry he was becoming at the matter. Kahlan's face didn't waver, instead, she turned on her back and faced away from him for the first time since they began traveling. The motion made Richard want to kill her.

Kahlan smirked to herself as she heard him breathing heavily behind her. This was the most interaction she had gotten the past five days. If she had to, she would drive him into killing her himself. She would find much more comfort dying in his hands than whoever he was delivering her to.

However, Kahlan didn't expect the next action.

She bit her tongue as she felt his hands grab her shoulders, dragging her upright to look him in the eye. His fingers bit into her flesh as she put on her Confessor's face.

"Eat."

"No."

Richard felt as though his head was going to explode. He knew her refusing a few meals wouldn't necessarily matter, but it still made him unbelievably mad. He felt insane. Richard knew that Denna would not be pleased if she found out that the Mother Confessor hadn't eaten. Lord Rahl wanted Kahlan at complete health so that he could experiment on her. Richard had to get Kahlan to eat.

He dropped his hands from her shoulders, resting them on the ground beside her as he moved his face closer to hers.

"What is it going to take to get you to eat?" Richard hissed through gritted teeth. He felt he was going to lose his mind when she smiled at him and rose an eyebrow in his direction.

"Bartering with the victims now, Richard? Quite low, don't you think?" Kahlan knew if she taunted him enough, he would relent and kill her. She just had to bait him into it. From the looks of the situation, it wouldn't take much for Kahlan to push him right over the edge.

"Mother Confessor, eat." Richard didn't wish to play games with her.

"Seeker, no."

Kahlan didn't even blink when Richard snatched his sword off the ground and unsheathed it, holding it to her neck. The rage flowing through him was tremendous, and he felt as though it would only take her breathing incorrectly to cause him to break and slice open her flesh. She didn't waver, looking at him intently with blue eyes.

"Eat."

"What are you going to do, Seeker?" She taunted, arching her neck to allow him greater access. "Kill me?" She moved her head closer to his, the blade slightly grazing her flesh and bringing red droplets to the surface. "I welcome it."

Richard gritted his teeth as his nostrils flared. He wanted nothing more than to decapitate her. He glanced from her eyes to her neck, watching as the small amount of red liquid began running down her neck. Richard cursed as he stood up, throwing the sword to the ground and returning to his side of camp.

He wanted to kill her with every fiber of his being. Richard had just tried, unsuccessfully. He wanted to believe it was because of his orders from Denna and Lord Rahl, but he wasn't stupid.

Deep down, in the depths of his soul, untouched by Denna, was the love he had always felt for Kahlan.


	8. Hopeless

Kahlan walked silently behind Richard as he escorted her through various halls. She hadn't been paying attention when they rode into the city, her mind focused on the man in front of her. She knew he had tried to kill her during the night they had the altercation, but he couldn't. Kahlan knew it was because of Denna's orders, and it made her cringe. She wished he would have just plunged his sword into her chest instead of making her go through this.

Before they entered the building, Richard had bound Kahlan's hands with rope, causing her to have a panic attack. She begged him to untie her, that she would comply, but he showed no signs of sympathy. She had clenched her eyes as tears flew from them freely, her body shaking as memories of her father overwhelmed her. When he began walking forward, she let out a small screech, her body refusing to move ahead. Kahlan found comfort when he reached out to her with one of his hands, letting her bound hands grasp onto his limb for support. It reminded her all too well of the Richard she had lost.

Despite his disgust for her, Richard didn't mind offering her his hand. He saw how distressed she became when he tied her wrists, and he knew that what he was doing was horrendous. He may be broken, but he was fully aware of what he was doing - how it affected her. Richard cursed the un-tainted portion of his soul, the part that belonged fully to Kahlan.

While lost in his thoughts, Denna walked straight towards him, a look of satisfaction gracing her features. Kahlan almost ran into Richard's back when he stopped, her hands gripping to his more tightly when she saw the Mord'Sith. Surprisingly, Richard gave her a reassuring squeeze back. She smiled despite herself.

"What makes you joyful, Mother Confessor?" Kahlan jumped slightly at the question, realizing she had been smiling over something that probably meant nothing. She felt stupid for letting Denna see her weakness.

"Oh, meeting with you again, Denna. It's always a pleasure." Kahlan retorted, holding her head high and glaring at the blonde. Richard's hold on her hand became tighter.

"Why are you holding the Mother Confessor's hands, Richard?" Denna inched closer to him, her nose lightly grazing his, her eyes questioning and accusing.

"Her wrists are bound, she will panic if I'm not here to reassure her." Kahlan was surprised at the softness in his voice, as if he was defending her and her weakness. However, now Denna knew that Kahlan had an issue with her wrists being tied. This would not bode well for her. She jerked her hands away from his, Richard's hand still trying to grasp onto hers. He turned and looked at her in shock when he felt her skin leave his. Kahlan lifted her hands in front of her face and smiled.

"Seems she isn't panicking, Seeker." Denna's glare was harsh and cold. "Perhaps you aren't fully broken yet," the Mord'Sith waved her agiel in front of Richard's face and he flinched. Kahlan now felt horrible, he was going to be punished for her lies. "We shall work more on your obedience when the Mother Confessor," she waved her agiel in Kahlan's direction, "is talking with Lord Rahl." Denna smiled wickedly as she grabbed onto Kahlan's wrists and tugged her down the long hall. Richard followed.

The smell was foul as Denna led the two deeper into the palace, the corridors getting more dark and damp as they descended. Kahlan had to keep herself from heaving, realizing there was nothing for her to rid of. She had refused food for the past few days. She thanked the spirits. Denna would no doubt be very displeased if Kahlan were to empty the contents of her stomach onto her red leather. Kahlan now wished she would have eaten.

Richard stayed a few feet behind as he followed Kahlan and Denna. Normally, under his broken state, he would be entranced by Denna. However, he was now intently watching Kahlan. Despite the dire situation, she still managed to walk with a grace that only she held. Her eyes weren't fearful, her stance unwavering. She was aware she was walking to her death, yet she would give her captors no satisfaction in seeing her fear. Richard admired that about Kahlan.

He felt a sharp pain shoot through his spine as Denna glared back at him. Richard had forgotten that Denna could sense what he was thinking. When he was away from her, it was much easier for her hold on him to ease - in that sense, at least. He ran his hand through his hair as he looked at the ground, deciding looking at Kahlan would only end up dealing him a more violent punishment from Denna.

Denna turned around and Kahlan slammed into the Mord'Sith. The blonde scowled at her and Kahlan smiled in response, taking a step back as Denna let go of her bound hands. "This, Mother Confessor, is where you will be staying for the time being." Denna kicked at the dungeon door, the creak of the wood causing Kahlan's brows to furrow. She glanced at Denna as the door gave way, finally opening as the blonde grabbed Kahlan by her hair and threw her into the cellar. Denna closed the door and locked it, looking through the iron bars and smiling.

"Soon, Lord Rahl will be here to speak with you. I assure you his visit will be much more pleasant than mine." Denna laughed and Kahlan cringed, realizing that her wrists were still bound. Now she was trapped in this small dungeon. Panic began overwhelming her again as she searched the room frantically, trying to find a way to undo the rope. She then remembered her dagger, but didn't wish to pull out the weapon just yet. That lone piece of steel may be the only thing that could save her life.

Kahlan slumped against the cold stone wall, her eyes watering as she finally gave into her depression. She heard a slight shuffling outside of the door and lifted her head, her gaze raising to meet Richard's face. His hand reached through the iron bar.

"Mother Confessor, the rope." Kahlan looked down at her wrists and up to him, wondering if it was a trick. Perhaps he would tie it tighter, taunting her for trusting in him. The look in Richard's eyes told her that he wouldn't do such a thing - not even when broken.

Kahlan sniffed as she pushed herself off the ground, slowly walking over to Richard. Her eyes darted around the small, damp room. This was her prison, a prison she had created when she had left Richard in the woods. Kahlan had to shut her eyes to keep from sobbing again. When she reached Richard, he looked upon her with the warm brown eyes that had always intrigued her, always saw straight through her facade. Kahlan swallowed past the lump in her throat as she lifted her hands for him to see.

Richard didn't know why he wished to untie Kahlan, other than that the rope made her panic beyond belief. He shouldn't care, but he did. He was surprised Denna hadn't beckoned him with her after she had left. Richard was also surprised that he wasn't feeling any repercussions of his actions at the moment. He was sure he would pay for them later.

He felt around until his hand found the hilt of the dagger he had taken from her, drawing it out of his belt and bringing it to the bars. Kahlan froze, her eyes growing wide as he held her weapon in front of her. He payed no mind, slipping the dagger into part of the rope, making sure not to slice her skin. Right as he was about to free her, he heard Denna's heavy footsteps in the hall. Richard stopped his movements and glanced at the Mord'Sith.

Kahlan sighed in defeat as Richard backed away from her cell, noticing how he tucked her dagger back into his belt as he stared openly at Denna.

"I have something you may want, Seeker." Richard's gaze drifted to Denna's hands, which were holding the Sword of Truth. He smiled, walking forward and ignoring Kahlan. Her constricted hands reached for the bars, her face pressed close, trying to see what was happening. Kahlan wanted to cry when she saw the glint of the sword.

"You have done your mission well, bringing the Mother Confessor back here, alive and well. You deserve your reward." Denna cooed, appraising him and lifting the sword to place in his hands. Richard relished the feel of the sheath, slowly pulling the sword out. Kahlan cringed as she heard the distinctive ring that his sword made.

The anger surged through Richard, his blood boiling as the sword fueled him. Richard glanced back at Kahlan and she stilled her movements, her mouth agape.

Kahlan had never seen him look so evil before. It was as if the Keeper himself had taken ahold of the man she loved.

The two stared at each other until a chilling laughter penetrated the silence.


	9. Resentment

Kahlan didn't have to recognize the laughter to know who it was. She withdrew herself from the bars, relieved that Richard had finally broken their gaze. She could feel the rage run through his veins, how most of it was directed towards her. That, along with Darken Rahl, made Kahlan want to curl up in the corner of her cell and die.

Darken Rahl moved past Denna and Richard, smiling as he reached the iron bars, peering in on Kahlan as she fumbled with the rope around her hands. He noticed and motioned towards Richard, who still hadn't put down his sword. The rage filled Seeker stepped forward, ready to be commanded by him as well. Kahlan felt bile rise in her throat.

"A beautiful creature such as she should never be restrained," Kahlan rolled her eyes as she heard the lock click and the door slowly scrape open. "At least, not in this sense." Darken's smile was wicked, promises of what was to come filling her head. She prayed to the spirits that Richard lost control and would run her through with his sword. It's the only hope she could hold on to. "Release her." Richard nodded at Darken as Denna stepped up behind Lord Rahl, watching over his shoulder to see Richard complete his task.

Richard walked up to her, noticing how her stance was still that of a confident woman. Despite everything, she still held herself as though she had everything was under control. Everything was not under control. Richard could feel everything spiraling downwards. The rage from the Sword of Truth was able to hinder his feelings, allowing him to do as he was commanded while keeping up a wall of anger towards her.

Kahlan backed against the wall, wishing that Richard's eyes didn't bore through her. She glared at Darken as she lifted her hands, allowing Richard to slip the sword in and cut the rope. She felt relief that her hands were now free, but sorrow at the same time. Richard hovered the sword in front of her face after the rope fell away, glaring at her with a heated gaze. Kahlan mirrored his expression, causing him to scoff as he walked off, positioning himself on the opposite wall, keeping an eye on her.

Darken walked in, followed by Denna. Although strong, she knew she wouldn't be able to get past Darken and Denna, and certainly not without having to kill Richard in the process. Everything seemed doomed. She wasn't sure why she was here, but Kahlan knew she would die. It wasn't even a question.

"My, my," Darken dry washed his hands as he approached her. "The Mother Confessor herself. The one my quads didn't manage to kill," he reached out a hand and slid his fingers over the side of her cheek, causing Kahlan to scowl. "Their failure has benefited me. You are far too attractive of a creature to be wasted. At least, before I have my fun with you." Kahlan bit the side of her cheek to keep from digging herself into a deeper hole.

Richard fumed. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, which he had sheathed after cutting Kahlan's binds. Darken Rahl had touched her. Granted, it wasn't necessarily in a malicious manner, but it was still an unwarranted touch. He had also made suggestive comments about restraining Kahlan, of having his fun with her. Richard's features contorted as his grip on the sword tightened. He wanted to run Darken through. No, he wanted to bleed him dry and make him suffer.

Denna stepped up beside him and shot him a glare, causing Richard's thoughts to fall away as his head began to throb. His vision became blurry and he watched as Kahlan's body tensed up, her eyes darting to him as if to plead with him to save her.

Darken smiled as he appraised her figure. "The Seeker can no longer save you. You have failed, Mother Confessor." His words cut straight through her. Even though they were true, hearing them from her enemy made them hurt all the more. She bit her bottom lip until she felt the metallic taste leak into her mouth. She let go and blood trickled down her lip, falling onto her chin. Darken smiled.

Richard froze as Darken reached out and wiped the small amount of blood off of her lip. "You'll be bleeding soon enough," Darken reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her body close to his and breathing on her face. "However, I do not wish for you to be bleeding unless it's by my own hands." He pushed her away from him, Kahlan's back slamming into the wall as her head cracked against the stone. She groaned and lifted a hand to her forehead.

Richard's eyes grew wide and his grip on his sword tightened, rage filling his core. Only this time, it wasn't directed towards Kahlan. He clenched his jaw as Denna backhanded him. "Behave, Seeker." She hissed through gritted teeth, her pale face matching the red of her leather as her temper grew. Richard let go of the sword, letting the rage fall away. To his surprise, it didn't. The thoughts in Richard's head still didn't die down. He wanted to kill Darken for touching Kahlan - _his_ Kahlan. Denna grabbed him by the neck and shoved him against the wall. The blonde pressed her agiel under his chin. "Stop your thoughts, Seeker. I will be the only one that fills your head." She spat, letting go of him and letting him crumple to the floor.

Kahlan stared in astonishment. What had Denna meant? It didn't matter, the distraction gave her the perfect opportunity to strike back.

Richard's vision came back to him as he stared at the ceiling, his head throbbing and his body sore. Denna was hovering over him, arms crossed and glaring at him. Lord Rahl had stepped over to them, his gaze questioning.

"I thought you said he was broken, Mistress Denna."

"He is." Denna drawled out, her glare intensifying as she leaned down and grabbed Richard by his belt, hoisting him up on his unsteady feet. He blinked as he tried to balance. "Aren't you, Seeker?" He nodded and Denna kneed him in the stomach. "Aren't you, Seeker?" She repeated, venom lacing her words.

"Yes, Mistress Denna." He choked out, blood dripping down his chin. Darken smiled and turned back to Kahlan. She cursed the spirits, upset that she hadn't brought out her dagger faster. She could have easily killed Darken and perhaps slit Denna's throat while she was preoccupied with Richard. However, she was so concerned for Richard's safety that she hesitated and that hesitation would cost her life, and Richard's. She cursed under her breath as she glared at Lord Rahl.

"We shall see," Darken stated, turning towards Richard and gesturing him with a hand to come forward. He looked warily between the Mord'Sith and the Lord Rahl, finally relenting and forcing himself off the ground to stand by Rahl's side. "Cut the Mother Confessor's hand." Kahlan sighed and lifted her palm up towards him, hoping her cooperation would somehow ease the process. It was just a cut, after all. It was just Richard proving he was still broken. It was not the man she loved intentionally trying to harm her.

Richard looked between the two and drew his sword out, the distinctive sound resonating through the room as Kahlan closed her eyes. He glanced at her and she saw hesitation in his chocolate orbs. Kahlan gave a slight nod, as if telling him it was okay. Richard placed the sword above her palm, his body stiffening.

Richard was incredibly frustrated that he couldn't even cut her hand. In the beginning of the hunt, he was able to shoot an arrow at her. Maybe that was just because he himself didn't have to inflict the pain, it was the arrow's job. The longer you're broken, the more you should relent, but it was the opposite with him. He was becoming even more reluctant to do Denna's bidding. He scowled as he lowered his sword, stepping back. Richard felt Denna's anger towards him radiating off of her body. Rahl looked at him with disgust.

"Doesn't seem like he's very broken, Mistress Denna. Perhaps I need to replace you with a more competent trainer." Kahlan watched as Denna's face became red, her body tensing and her blue eyes dangerously glaring at Richard.

This was her chance.

When Darken Rahl turned back towards her, she lifted her hand and grasped it around his throat. Time was hers and hers alone. Kahlan could faintly hear Denna screaming in the background, yelling commands at Richard. Kahlan didn't pay attention - none of it mattered. Her grip tightened as she released her magic into him, into her greatest enemy.


	10. Taunted

Kahlan's magic roared through the room until she dropped her hand, only to hear Rahl laughing at her. Her eyes grew wide as she backed herself against the wall once again, feeling like a scared little girl.

"That was quite impressive, Mother Confessor." He taunted, stepping forward. "However, Giller provided me with an elixir that makes me immune to a Confessor's touch." Rahl lifted his fingers to her chin, forcing Kahlan to look at him. "You know what that means, don't you?" He inched closer, his lips almost brushing against hers as she clenched her eyes shut, trying to mentally prepare herself for being raped in front of her beloved.

Instead, she felt the his fist. Kahlan winced as she fell to the ground, her hands gingerly touching her face. She was reasonably sure that he had broken her cheekbone. She moaned as she curled into a ball. Darken laughed and turned towards Denna and Richard.

Richard didn't think he could become angrier than he was at that very moment. Denna sensed this and glared at him.

"Lord Rahl, if you don't mind, I think Richard may need a little more training." Rahl nodded and Richard was dragged away by the angry Mord'Sith. Richard felt every nerve in his body on edge, all he wanted to do was go back and save her. Denna's hold was too tight, and the pain searing through is body prevented him from acting on his impulse.

Kahlan slowly lost consciousness on the cold stone floor, hearing Richard and Denna leave and the door close behind Darken.

xx

Her eyes fluttered open and she grimaced when she saw Darken sitting on a stool that must have been brought in after she drifted off. Kahlan held a hand to her head as she sat upright, her body fighting her every move.

"Mother Confessor, you're awake!" Darken said with mock surprise. Kahlan glared at him and smirked. "This is all very .. dramatic, don't you think?" He continued, waving his hands in the air as she looked at him with furrowed brows. "There's no hero to save you, he's in the hands of a very malicious Mord'Sith. To think that the man you love now belongs to another." Kahlan felt the stab at her heart and she took a deep breath before letting her hand drop from her head.

"What do you want with me, Rahl? Other than to have your sick amusement with?" Kahlan spat, her head throbbing. Maybe she could taunt him into killing her. The thought quickly escaped her mind, Rahl was no fool. He'd know what she was doing. He smiled down at her and she felt as though she would vomit.

"Sick amusement, dear Kahlan?" Her head jerked up as she narrowed her eyes at him. His smile broadened. "Don't you wish to feel the touch of a man who isn't binded to you by your magic?" Kahlan clenched her jaw. She did wish to feel that very thing, just not from him. Only from one man. The man being tortured because he could not cut her hand. "You'll never feel that from Richard, not now, anyways." Kahlan wanted to curl up into a ball and sob. Rahl was going to take what wasn't his, like he always did.

xx

Richard fought to stay awake as he hung from the chains, his body battered and broken once again. Denna didn't leave him time to rest and gather his strength, constantly berating him and calling him a failure. He slowly started to feel himself become broken again, but it wouldn't matter. As soon as he would see Kahlan, he would fall back into defending her. It didn't matter what Denna and Lord Rahl did - Richard was Kahlan's.

He wondered if she was okay, or if that monster was moving over her. The thought of Rahl taking Kahlan made his blood boil. He cursed himself for never thinking of using an elixir before. The solution seemed so simple, even though it wasn't. Getting his hands on Giller would have been nearly impossible. Denna backhanded him.

"Stop thinking of her, Seeker. All she brings you is pain and torment." She moved closer to him, her breath on his face. "I can bring you release." Richard nodded slowly as Denna smiled. She dragged her agiel across his chest as he yelled.

xx

"You aren't half the man Richard is," Kahlan glared up at him. Darken laughed and she felt as if her blood was curdling underneath her skin.

"Oh, but I am more of a man, Mother Confessor. I found a way to be with you, he did not. That alone should earn your affections."

Kahlan scoffed. "What do you want with me, Rahl?" Regardless of how many times she asked that question, he did not answer her. She was growing tired of the game, only a breath away from informing him to just kill her.

"You are the most powerful Confessor alive, Kahlan," he drew out. Kahlan flinched. She didn't like him using her name. The sound of it on his lips made it seem sinister and wrong. She would never view her name the same way again. "I want to harness your power."

Kahlan laughed, and she couldn't stop. Rahl glared at her, his face flushing with anger. Kahlan held her stomach as she tried to control her actions. "That is impossible, Rahl." She managed to choke out between her laughter. Rahl smiled and Kahlan felt as though she made a grave mistake.

"Oh, but it's not. Giller is working with quite a few victims, trying to perfect a Confessor's power. However, with a live Confessor, the most powerful Confessor of them all, he could simply take your power."

"And why would you want a Confessor's power? To make women love you?" Kahlan hissed, her mind racing and reeling.

"No, no," Darken smiled, leaning forward and resting his forearms on his knees. "Well, in a sense, perhaps. I want your power so that I can simply confess my enemies. The first will be your darling Seeker."

Kahlan's heart pounded in her chest. "That is ridiculously unneeded. He is already broken."

"Wrong again, Kahlan. He couldn't even cut your hand. That is child's play. When confessed, he'll be able to bleed you dry." Darken sat straight, a smirk playing on his lips. "Perhaps I'll let him have his way with you after I take you. It is one of his darkest desires, bedding the Mother Confessor. Then I'll have him kill you. Tragically romantic, yes?"

Kahlan choked back a sob. The thought of Richard raping her was almost too much for her to bear. She wouldn't be able to stop him. She knew of how the confessed acted - with blind devotion. Kahlan shook her head.

"Did that finally break through, Mother Confessor? Are you ready to comply?" Kahlan looked up at him through blurry vision.

"What do I possibly need to comply with? You'll take whatever you want, regardless if I consent." Darken smirked and nodded, seeming to take her words into consideration. There was nothing to consider, she was right. He took what he wanted with no remorse, Kahlan was just an object to obtain.

"Perhaps, but I believe it would be more pleasurable if you were willing."

"Willing for what? The experimentation or the rape?"

"Both." His lips curled into a devious smile, her eyes closing as she wished she was dead.

"No." Darken's eyes grew dark as he stood, kicking his chair from underneath him as he stormed towards her. He leaned down, his face inches from hers as he yelled.

"You will do as I say, Mother Confessor! I own you!" He struck her, the blow causing Kahlan to momentarily lose her vision. She blinked. This was what she wanted - for him to become so enveloped in his rage that he paid no mind to anything unless it aided in causing her harm.

Kahlan's hand gripped her dagger firmly, pulling it out of her boot as Rahl hit her once again.


	11. Escape

When Darken lifted his hand to strike her, Kahlan used the little momentum she had to thrust the dagger at him. She shrieked when he grabbed her wrist, turning it and causing tears to form in Kahlan's eyes. She heard the dagger drop to the ground.

"Not so fast, Mother Confessor." He hissed, using his pull on her wrist to bring her forward as he twisted her arm behind her back. Rahl used the opposing hand to wipe hair from her face. "Such a beautiful, deadly creature." Kahlan's clenched her eyes shut, her wrist throbbing, his hold still firm. The softness of his voice made her cringe. The one opportunity she had and she had wasted it. Kahlan sighed in defeat. She could sense he was smiling.

Kahlan tried to move her body, but it was pressed against Darken's. Every time she tried to squirm out of his embrace, his hold on her wrist would tighten. She wouldn't be surprised if he became frustrated and broke it. She finally submitted, allowing her body to give up just as her mind had. There was no escaping this. The only one who could help was being tortured rooms away. Kahlan sobbed when she heard the familiar voice of Richard, his yells filling the hallway.

"Do not feel sorry for him, Kahlan. Soon, you two will be able to be together." Darken whispered. Kahlan felt hot tears come to her eyes, feeling suffocated by Rahl. She was forced to breathe into the skin of his neck. He even smelled like evil.

"Rape," she corrected. Being together and being raped were two entirely different things to her. She hoped Rahl would just kill her now. Kahlan no longer cared. She didn't try to stifle the tears when she heard Richard yell again. All hope was lost.

"Not if you comply. It can be quite pleasurable. I'll order him to make love to you, rather than simply take you," Rahl's voice turned cold. "Like I will." Kahlan stiffened. The offer was more tempting than she wanted it to be. She had always wanted to be with Richard, but not like this, not under these circumstances - not when he wasn't himself. "Tempting, isn't it?" Rahl taunted.

Kahlan managed to pull her head away from his neck, her face only a breath away from his. "Perhaps," she croaked, her eyes filling with tears. All Kahlan wanted to do was curl up in a ball and die. Rahl laughed and his hold on her wrist loosened. She thanked the spirits.

"Behave?" Rahl asked, his eyes mischievous. Kahlan caught the implied meaning and wanted to vomit.

"Fine." She growled through gritted teeth. Darken let go of her and stood up, returning to his stool. Kahlan gingerly rolled her hand around, testing how injured her wrist was. She cringed. At least he hadn't broken it. She glared at him as her face heated.

Rahl hadn't retrieved the dagger. Kahlan knew exactly where it was and didn't cast her glance towards it's direction. She cursed, her injured hand the hand she predominately used when fighting. Kahlan's thoughts became muddled when she heard Richard yell again, higher pitched and a longer duration. His screams of torment seemed to never end. Rahl seemed annoyed, pushing himself off of his chair and storming towards the cellar door, yelling through the iron bars.

Kahlan hastily got on her feet, scrambling across the floor. The two men yelling drowned out her footsteps and her approaching arrival. She stayed a few steps back, making sure to keep a small distance between the two so that he wouldn't feel her close. When Rahl turned around, Kahlan leapt forward and struck at him with her right hand, he caught it, only putting her injured wrist in more pain. Before Rahl could do any more damage, Kahlan used her left hand and plunged her dagger deep into his underbelly, his eyes growing wide with shock as he slumped against her, slowly releasing her wrist. Kahlan stepped back and let his body fall to the ground.

Kahlan tilted her head as she looked at the blood pool around his body, her mind unconvinced that he was actually dead. She leaned down and grabbed him by the hair, lifting his head and slicing his neck with her dagger. Kahlan saw the final spark of life leave his eyes and felt relieved.

Her attention was brought back to reality when she heard Denna's shrill scream. Kahlan stepped over his body and fumbled with the door, surprised to find it unlocked. The Mord'Sith probably assumed that since the Lord Rahl was with her, she wouldn't be able to escape. Kahlan smirked to herself at the blonde's failure.

Kahlan didn't waste time, pulling the door open and kicking Rahl's body to remove it from the pathway. She dashed through the hallway, Denna's screams never stopping. Unlike the agonizing horror of Richard's yells, Denna's cries were music to her ears.

She ran through the corridors, surprised with how much strength she had left. Kahlan quickly eliminated the soldiers that would come out of doorways. They were all amateurs, easy to kill. She looked like a spirit, she was sure. Kahlan's skin was paler than normal, her dress adding to her ghost like effect. She had shocked many guards, making them easy targets for her dagger.

In the distance, Kahlan heard the distinct yells from Denna, no doubt ordering men to find and kill the Mother Confessor. However, Kahlan was already well ahead of the pursuing party, her body dodging through various passages. She sighed in relief when she felt the sunlight hit her face.

Without a second to spare, Kahlan darted through the city and into the woods.


	12. Vengeance

Denna had been outraged when Kahlan escaped, taking her anger out on him for many hours after the soldiers reported that they couldn't find the Mother Confessor. Richard was sure that his entire body was covered in bruises or blood, in many cases both. The shackles bit into his skin, Denna's constant beating made him sway in the chains, causing the metal to dig deeper into his already torn flesh.

Richard was vaguely aware of Darken Rahl being dead. He knew Denna was taking out her grief on his body. However, she had abandoned her agiel. He thanked the spirits for the good fortune. Denna's leather clad hand was enough to bring Richard to tears, his skin already battered from her previous use of the agiel.

The moment Denna had screamed, Richard felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He felt his utter to devotion to Denna wane, but her constant beatings kept him hanging on her every word and movement. He was sure she was going to beat him to death. Richard's whole body ached, Denna never stopping. She breathed heavily and cried as she continued to strike him, yelling and calling him a failure.

One thing stood out in his mind: Kahlan had killed Darken Rahl.

If he could smile, he would have. That woman was a force to be reckoned with. Richard felt relief that she had escaped, hoping she'd stay away and wouldn't be foolish enough to come back and try to free him. Now that his bond with Denna was significantly weaker, his emotions for the raven haired woman stood out among all others. His love bloomed instead of dwindled. Denna could tell she was losing her hold on him, and she would beat him all the more. It didn't matter, none of it mattered. Kahlan was alive. Since the day he saw her running in the forest, her survival was his top priority.

Denna stepped back from him, blinking away tears. "This benefits you in no way, Seeker. You are still my pet and will do as I say."

Richard didn't respond, his body too weary to give her the response she wanted. Denna punched him in the ribs and he coughed up blood, adding to the caked on residue already on his face. Richard attempted to open his eyes, his throat hoarse as he croaked out an agreement. Denna smiled weakly and looked around the room, nodding to herself. Her grin spread as she stepped forward, grabbing his chin in her hand.

"I have a new mission for you, pet. I have no doubt that you will succeed." The blonde glared at him, her icy blue eyes conveying threats. Richard nodding against her hand, ready to accept whatever she was about to propose.

Denna let go of him and stormed out of the room, slamming the cellar door behind her. Richard swayed in his restraints, taking note of the time of day. It was still bright outside. Denna had only been beating him half a day and he already felt worse than he had the entire duration of his 'training.'

Richard smiled as he let his head fall against his arm, his thoughts drifting to Kahlan. Now that the fog over his head was cleared slightly, the implications of what she had said so long ago floated around in his mind. She had lied, she did feel the same for him as he did for her. That alone was enough to make him wish to live, or to allow him to die with joy in his heart. He took refuge in her vibrant blue eyes, the special smile she only gave to him, the way her hair cascaded down her back. Richard had spent many hours memorizing her form, observing the way she walked and how she acted. He now recalled all those mental observations and replayed them in his head, the thoughts soothing and calming him as he awaited for Denna to come back and give him his verdict.

When the door opened, Richard was surprised to see three other Mord'Sith with Denna. He furrowed his brows, looking to each one. The four women had a malicious grin on their faces.

Denna sauntered up to him, resting a leather clad hand on his heart. "This will be quite the task, are you sure you can do it?" She teased, her lips brushing against his. Richard swallowed and nodded slightly, his body protesting any movement. She smiled. "Good. I need you to hunt down the Mother Confessor and slit her throat," Richard's eyes grew in shock as Denna laughed. "Actually, bleed her dry. Ending her life that quickly would be too much of a luxury. She needs to suffer." Richard opened his mouth but no sound came out. Despite Denna losing a significant amount of power over him, he was still compelled to do what she wished. Even though his mind was against it, his body would comply to keep him from being killed. Self preservation was kicking in and Richard cursed the spirits.

"And to ensure that you actually succeed in this," a dark haired Mord'Sith stepped forward, a look of utter disgust crossing her features. Richard groaned inwardly, knowing she was referring to the incident when he had left Kahlan in the woods. He didn't care, it was the best decision he had ever made. "We will be accompanying you." Richard's eyes grew wider, a murmur of protest rising in his throat.

"That whore killed Darken Rahl," Denna snapped, slapping Richard across the face. "She deserves no sympathy. He was your lord as well, Richard," she hissed. "You may have loved her once, but no more. You belong to me." Denna's heated gaze drifted from him as her hand resided back over his heart. "This will be the most difficult thing you will ever have to do, Richard. You will be rewarded well when you return." Denna moved her head by his ear. "What she could never give you, I will provide you with at your command. Bring me the dead body of the Mother Confessor and I will be yours." She purred into his ear. Even though the women were amazing at torture, Richard knew they would be equally talented at pleasing. He had no doubt that she would still control him, he would just get the benefit of lying with her. If that could be called a benefit. It seemed more like an extension of torture to him. The only woman he would bed was Kahlan.

A smaller woman stepped up, stopping when she reached the dark haired Mord'Sith. "If you attempt to deceive us, we will kill you before the thought fully crosses your mind." Her green eyes bore through him, her threat becoming a promise.

Denna smiled as she stepped away from Richard, her eyes glancing between him and the three other women. "You will treat these women as if they were your mistresses, following every order they give. Do you understand, my pet?" Richard cringed as he nodded. He had no idea how he would be able to succeed at this mission when taking a breath hurt. More importantly, he had to figure out a way to get these women to kill him before he was anywhere near Kahlan.

"This is Vivian." Richard glanced at the green eyed woman. She had light brown hair and soft features. Her countenance, however, was hard. "She has quite a short temper, shorter than mine." Denna lifted an eyebrow in his direction and he stared at the woman. He had sized the women up when they had walked in. Vivian was certainly going to be the most difficult to deal with.

Denna turned to the dark haired woman that had stepped forward, smiling before she redirected her gaze towards Richard. "This is Amelia. If you cooperate with her, then she will benefit you in many ways." Richard wasn't sure what that meant, but he nodded. She had a larger build than Vivian, her features more defined. She had a strong chin and dark brown eyes. Her skin was the darkest of the women, matching Richard's skin tone. She was a threat, but wasn't the most dangerous.

"And this," Denna walked over to the remaining woman, pulling her by the arm to stand in line with Vivian and Amelia. She had blonde hair like Denna, but it was slightly darker. Her eyes were bright blue, reminding him of Kahlan's. Her features were kind. Richard found it odd to see the woman in red leather. She seemed sweet and innocent, but he knew not to underestimate women who seemed non-lethal. He had assumed that of Kahlan and been proven wrong. "This is Lily." Denna smiled as she slapped Lily on the back. Lilies were Kahlan's favorite flowers. Richard's heart swelled at the thought and he eliminated Lily as a threat, even though he knew she was the most dangerous. The woman didn't look fearful, but she didn't look determined either. Richard felt as though she didn't want to be in the situation. She was the one piece that didn't seem to fit.

"Don't underestimate her, Richard. She is quite deadly, despite her innocent appearance." Denna smiled as she looked at him. "I've seen her destroy a quad of Darken Rahl's finest men. She's a fighter," Denna punched Lily on the arm. "She trains her pets well."

Richard glanced between the two. Denna hadn't necessarily lied, but she didn't tell the truth either. From the look on Lily's face, it was obvious she had not killed those men for sport. Richard had no doubt that she killed them for survival and was later recruited. He found that even more odd about her. Mord'Sith were stolen as children and raised into being the monsters they were. Lily was lacking considerably compared to the other three women. That benefited him. Perhaps she still had some of her humanity left that he could grasp onto. After all, he was told to obey the three as though they were Denna. Having a friend among the group would be quite beneficial.

Silence fell over the room and Richard observed their actions. It seemed as though they were awaiting him to voice his opinions - well, more precisely his agreement. Vivian, although the smallest, seemed the largest figure in the room. Her arms were crossed as she stared at him. Amelia pursed her lips as she shifted her weight, the leather creaking. Lily, however, seemed to be indifferent to the situation. She didn't look at him or at her companions, instead she held her hand in front of her face, observing the leather she wore.

Denna glared at him, as though he was supposed to know what he was meant to do. Richard blankly stared at her. "Are you ready, Seeker?"

Richard's heart hammered, not wanting to agree to kill Kahlan. His body, however, begged him to do so. He was broken and torn, his need to survive overwhelming all of his senses. Richard warily glanced between the three.

"Yes."


	13. Unforeseen

Kahlan shielded her eyes from the sun as she looked towards the sky. It was only midday and she felt as though she had been traveling for years. It had been five days since she had escaped from captivity. Kahlan knew she should return to Aydindril, but she didn't wish to do so. She was scared that the great city would lay in ruins, that the D'Haran army wasted the heart of the Midlands despite Richard's word. She sighed as she glanced around, happy to find a wayward pine. In fact, the entire area was surrounded by them.

She climbed into the shelter, almost collapsing to the ground from exhaustion. Kahlan's mind wandered. If she went back to Aydindril, she would no doubt receive a lecture from Zedd. Although she wanted to see the old man, she didn't want to be scolded. Her hand brushed hair from her face as she shook her head. She definitely did not want to return to Aydindril.

Kahlan let her body rest against the soil, her eyes closing as she exhaled deeply. She prayed to the spirits that she wouldn't awake to a vengeful Seeker.

xx

Cara stood at the top of the hill, looking down to see wayward pines littering the landscape. She waited as her fellow Mord'Sith trailed behind, catching up to her. They needed new recruits, especially since Darken Rahl's untimely death. Cara had eagerly jumped to the position of the leader, despite many of the women's objections. According to Cara, no one was more suited for the role of a leader than she.

However, the women were still clinging on to Darken Rahl. Every time Cara would command, they would voice their concerns as to whether or not that is what the Lord Rahl would have wanted. Cara didn't care. Rahl was dead. Following the orders of a dead man was useless.

And now, Cara and her companions were going to snatch young girls from their families and train them into becoming the strongest creatures of D'Hara. Lilith had suggested that they venture outside of D'Hara and grab girls from families that lived in smaller villages. Cara agreed. Lilith was her closest friend, the two spending many nights together. If she trusted anyone within the group, it was Lilith.

Cara scanned through the area. So far, they hadn't come across any villages, and she had a nagging thought that she was being led around in circles. She turned towards the other five women, who had finally reached the top of the hill. Her leather creaked as she turned to face them.

"I see no villages, Morgana." Cara flatly said, her icy gaze meeting each of the Mord'Sith.

"We are well on our way, Cara." The brute woman hissed. Cara had never liked Morgana. As far as she was concerned, the brunette had a false sense of importance. She would brag about how she trained her pets, claiming she had never heard a victim scream as loud and as long as her own.

Obviously, Morgana had never heard Cara train a man.

Cara rolled her eyes as she redirected her attentions towards Lilith. The hazel eyed woman was small, her frame much more petite than any of the Mord'Sith Cara had seen. However, she was definitely one of the more deadly. She was devious and cunning, attributes that Cara favored immensely.

"I do not think Lord Rahl would want us snatching girls from areas other than D'Hara. After all, D'Hara has produced the best Mord'Sith." Cara scoffed as she glared at Elena. The women were starting to grate on Cara's last nerve.

"Lord Rahl is dead." Cara snapped, sick of being put second in command to a dead man. Granted, she had been devoted to him while he was alive, but now that he was dead, her bond with him was broken significantly. These women felt the remnants of the past weighing them down, Cara felt nothing. If anything, she felt more empowered.

Cara turned away from the women, her gaze settling back on the terrain. Wayward pines. Many of them. She furrowed her brow as she opened her mouth, about to proclaim that they should head back and follow Elena's outburst. Cara was D'Haran. Even though the only Mord'Sith were from D'Hara, she doubted any girls of other nations would be able to live up to the expectations.

Before she could speak, she felt the sharp sting of a leather clad fist to the back of her head, knocking her to the ground. She gasped in pain as she looked up at Lilith, who was hovering over her, her hands clenched in the fists she had struck her with.

"You hold no loyalty, Cara." Her words were like a viper's bite, causing Cara to flinch as she grabbed the back of her head. She had never expected Lilith to turn on her. The others, yes. Lilith, no. She moved to stand, but Lilith kicked her in the stomach. "Down, girl." Cara glared up at the small Mord'Sith, victory etching every one of her features. Lilith crouched, grabbing Cara's braid in her hand as she slid a knife out of her belt.

The other four women stood behind them, watching the two. Lilith smiled as she sliced off Cara's hair, leaving a ragged mess behind. She dropped the blonde braid as she stood, tucking her knife back into her belt. She smiled as she walked away, leaving Cara on the ground. She swallowed past the lump in her throat as she watched her betrayer cross into enemy territory.

"Do with her as you wish," Lilith coldly said. Cara clenched her eyes shut, her hand grabbing at her stomach. She heard the stomping of hurried footsteps, the women eager to lay into her.

Cara felt a kick to her stomach, a fist crashing into her shoulder. She heard the yells of the women, accusing her of being a traitor and a disgrace. Cara blocked them out, her mind focusing on the physical pain. It wasn't long before her vision blacked out and she slumped against the ground.

xx

Kahlan had been awoken by the sound of multiple women yelling. She hadn't known what to do, realizing very quickly that they were all followers of Rahl - Mord'Sith. The random bits of conversation she picked up on were of them accusing another of being a traitor, of having no loyalty. She cringed when she heard the onslaught of fists and feet, no doubt beating the supposed traitor. When she heard nothing but silence, Kahlan held her breath as she stepped out of the wayward pine.

She glanced around the area, sure that the battered woman would be somewhere close. The wayward pines blocked her vision, Kahlan having to constantly lift her dress to step over roots. She furrowed her brow as she looked at the previously white cloth. It was now stained with dirt and sweat, obvious signs of her constant running. Her hair was a matted mess, tangled beyond repair. Perhaps she should go to Aydindril, even if it was just to acquire a bath.

Kahlan stepped over many roots and around many trees, sure that the woman had managed to crawl away or had been taken as a trophy. She sighed as she turned around, preparing to head back to her shelter. Kahlan froze when she heard a groan. She slowly turned her head, listening for the sound once again.

Kahlan quickly scurried through the area towards the sound, finding a broken blonde Mord'Sith. Her face was bloodied, some of her bones most likely broken. Kahlan stifled a gasp as she lowered herself to the blonde, wiping hair from her face and attempting to get a better look. It was just before nightfall, Kahlan only having been asleep a few hours.

Luckily, Kahlan hadn't brought any belongings with her when she ran from Denna. She wouldn't have to worry about going back and grabbing her things. Her first priority was the woman in front of her.

Kahlan tucked her arms under the woman's limp limbs, dragging her into a wayward pine. She wasn't sure of what to do, not having the extensive knowledge of the woods as Richard had. If he were there, he'd certainly have a solution for this. He'd know of some plant that was convientantly in the area that could ease some of her pain. Kahlan, however, knew nothing of the sort.

She pushed herself against the inside of the tree, watching as the blonde's chest steadily rose and fell. At least she was still breathing strongly. Kahlan sighed as she brought her legs up to her chest, resting her cheek on her knees.

xx

Cara's eyes fluttered open, unaware of where she was. It was dark, the small fire in the center of the area illuminating very little. She shifted, moaning as she assessed her wounds. She smiled slightly, the Mord'Sith not doing nearly as much damage as she had expected. Cara flinched as she turned to her side, noticing a woman in white in front of her.

The Mother Confessor.

Although Cara had never seen her in person before, she heard much about her from other Mord'Sith. Especially Denna, who had bragged to no ends about breaking the woman's lover. The Mord'Sith had said that soon he would drive his sword into her heart. From what Cara could see, her heart was still beating quite strongly.

Another thought popped into her head. Why had she saved her? Mord'Sith were the enemy, and this woman had definitely seen them before. Cara scoffed, the Mother Confessor didn't save her, only brought her to shelter. Still, it was a kind enough gesture. She stared openly at the woman, who appeared to be weeping.

Weakness. Something Cara despised.

Kahlan sniffed as she wiped her hands on her face, hoping to rid of the tears that welled in her eyes. She looked up towards the woman, surprised to see her awake. She seemed perfectly fine, as though she hadn't been beaten nearly to death.

"You're awake," Kahlan smiled, moving a little closer to the fire. The woman looked much like Denna - blonde hair and blue eyes. Although, that was common in D'Harans.

"Mother Confessor," Cara drawled out, testing her reactions. She had been abandoned by women she trusted, well, more specifically the woman she trusted. Kahlan furrowed her brow and Cara didn't know whether or not to view her as an enemy.

"Mord'Sith," Kahlan responded, raising an eyebrow in the blonde's direction. Cara smirked.

"The Mother Confessor bringing a Mord'Sith to safety," she rolled over onto her back. "It's blasphemy."

"Perhaps," Kahlan sighed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "Kahlan."

Cara turned her head towards the woman, her lips pursing as her eyes questioned her. The woman smiled and shook her head, her mass of dark hair tumbling over her shoulders and falling into her face.

"My name," the woman's blue eyes met hers, portraying more emotion and kindness than Cara had ever seen. "It's Kahlan." Cara eyed her. Kahlan was definitely a threat, however, she found herself trusting the raven haired woman. "Yours?" Kahlan's voice brought her out of her thoughts and Cara pursed her lips as she switched back onto her side, her wounds barely hindering her.

"Cara," she drew out.

"Friend or foe?" Kahlan questioned, her voice threatening. She didn't trust the women, especially after Denna. They were all vile creatures, monsters. Cara was called a traitor though, maybe she wasn't necessarily an enemy.

"Depends," Cara smiled.


	14. Ere

"Move it along, Seeker." Vivian hissed, pushing his back and forcing him to walk at a faster pace. Richard's body ached from his beatings, the three women escorting him doing nothing to help ease his pain.

They had been walking for three days, the women reluctant to allow him to stop and rest. The first night in the woods, Richard became very aware of Denna's statement about Amelia giving Richard 'benefits.' Lily and Vivian had fallen asleep, Amelia left to stand on watch. Richard couldn't fall asleep despite his best efforts, constantly tossed and turned. The dark haired woman took note of his restlessness and moved to straddle him, causing Richard to stiffen under her. She coyly smiled as she whispered promises of pleasure in his ear.

Richard had pushed her off. Since then, Amelia was the most foul of the women. Richard assumed that she had never been denied before.

Vivian was quite tempermental, just as Denna had warned. Her green eyes were always harsh, causing Richard to shudder whenever he glanced her way. She was also the most violent, quick to swing her powerless agiel into her hand. Despite her tough exterior, he saw pain flash across her eyes each time she realized that the magic behind the weapon was dead. That the Lord Rahl was dead.

Lily, as Richard had expected, was the easiest to get along with. She barely lifted a hand to threaten him, only doing so when the other two women chimed in and told her she was being too soft. She would often cast sympathetic glances his way, reminding him of the way Kahlan's blue eyes had once done the same. Lily was a comforting presence, reminding him much of his former love. She was the most kind to him, engaging in conversation with him when she was the one who was given watch.

Richard trusted her. She didn't command him to do meaningless tasks like Vivian and Amelia did. She never acted out of spite, which the other two were quite good at. Amelia was still angry at his refusal of her advances, while Vivian was bitter for reasons he did not know. All he knew was that he was the source of the green eyed woman's outbursts.

Although Lily didn't speak against the other two Mord'Sith, Richard knew of her distaste in the whole ordeal. The second night, when she had watch, she spoke with him about how she had became a Mord'Sith. The tale was heart-wrenching.

Darken Rahl had sent a quad after her sister, who apparently had the seed of Rahl's child deep in her womb. The men ransacked her house, raping her mother before killing her. Lily's father had been out checking traps, seeing if any unlucky animal and managed to be captured. The men found him and butchered him, dropping his body in the lake nearby, the water filling with blood. Lily had stumbled upon her father's floating corpse on the way home from the market. She frantically looked for her mother, finding her dead in their house. Lily went on to say that she heard the scream of her sister, and she ran as fast as she could towards the cry. Lily's sister, Miranda, was very much with child. The quad beat her, Lily arriving just after her sister took her last breath. Denna was with them, directing their every move. Lily said she didn't know exactly what had happened, just that her blood boiled with rage and soon enough, she was standing among the dead D'Harans, glaring at the Mord'Sith.

Richard's heart broke for her. Soon after, Vivian woke up and made a snide remark towards Richard, causing Lily to put her emotional barriers back up. They hadn't talked deeply since then.

In all honesty, Vivian and Amelia were slowly driving Richard insane.

Amelia hummed as she walked, spinning her agiel in her hands. Richard noticed how she didn't seem to care that Rahl was now dead. "High time the Mother Confessor dies. Her constant evasion of death is quite annoying." Richard clenched his jaw as he glanced at Lily, her eyes apologizing for the woman's words.

"Yes," Vivian sighed. "She has caused us quite the trouble."

"That whore killed Lord Rahl," Amelia snapped, her hand gripping her agiel tightly. Richard cringed every time one of the women called Kahlan a whore. She most definitely was not a whore. The only one who refrained from talking about her was Lily. Amelia turned her head towards Richard, a devious smile creeping onto her face. "Are you prepared to bleed your love dry, Seeker? Her screams will haunt your memory for the rest of your pathetic life." Richard stared at the ground, keeping his eyes away from the dark haired woman. Vivian laughed.

"Amelia, you are going to make the poor Seeker cry." She eyed him up and down before walking once again, laughing all the more. Richard sighed as he slightly shook his head.

The two women walked in front of him, Lily to his side. Feeling such a non-threatening presence near him was comforting and calming. She smiled sadly at him.

xx

"Zedd, this is Cara." Kahlan cautiously approached, gesturing towards the beaten blonde. She had refused to change out of her leather, and her blonde hair was a mess. The old man glanced at her, lifting a hand as if to dismiss her.

"A Mord'Sith in Aydindril, who would have thought," he glanced towards Kahlan. "That is not the foremost matter of importance right now, though. My dear, how could you just leave Aydindril and give yourself over to the hands of a broken Seeker?" Kahlan sighed as she slightly shrugged her shoulders. Zedd had been worried about her, and quickly greeted her with a hug before she announced that she had someone to introduce to him.

"Old man," Cara stepped forward, her body seductively swaying. "She killed Lord Rahl. Her leave wasn't entirely unproductive." She lifted an eyebrow at him as his eyes grew wide with shock.

"Child, you killed Lord Rahl?" Kahlan nodded weakly, the memories all too vivid.

"Besides," Cara sighed, redirecting Zedd's attentions towards her. "If she hadn't have left, then she wouldn't have found me." She smiled and Zedd laughed.

"Well, Cara, if you have befriended the Mother Confessor, then you are a friend of mine."

Cara scoffed, lifting her hand and waving it about. "I am no friend to the Mother Confessor."

Kahlan smiled as she brushed hair away from her face. Since the night in the wayward pine, the two had struck an odd friendship. Cara would never admit to the companionship, but it was all too evident to Kahlan that the blonde didn't mind her company. To a Mord'Sith, that was the makings of a powerful friendship.

"Regardless," Zedd laughed. "You are welcome here." He opened his arms, Cara raising an eyebrow in his direction as she pursed her lips. Zedd returned his gaze towards Kahlan. "How is Richard, my dear?"

Kahlan sighed and slumped her shoulders. "Still broken, I'm afraid." Zedd nodded, squeezing her shoulder in reassurance.

"Richard Cypher?" Cara questioned, her brows furrowing as her eyes darted between the two. Kahlan nodded numbly, her eyes already threatening to fill with tears. "You will be acquainted with him shortly, then."

"What do you mean?" Kahlan asked, stepping forward. Cara eyed her suspiciously. In a second, Kahlan's demeanor had changed and Cara second guessed her trusting the Mother Confessor.

"He's on a mission to come and kill you, Kahlan." She slowly drew out, Kahlan sighing and shaking her head as if it had been expected. "Three of the finest Mord'Sith are with him." Kahlan's attentions were brought back to Cara, her body quickly pivoting and repositioning in front of the blonde.

"What?" Kahlan croaked, Zedd standing behind her and resting a hand on her shoulder.

"He's with Vivian, Amelia, and Lily. They are escorting him here to ensure that he fulfills his task and doesn't fail again. He's under orders by Denna to bleed you dry." Cara watched Kahlan closely, observing how her body tensed up and her voice faltered.

"Don't worry, my dear." Zedd attempted to sooth her, but Kahlan felt her whole world was crashing down. She was naive to think that it was over, that he would stay with Denna and leave her be. "I will not ask you to lay a hand against Richard, if it comes down to it, I will still his heart myself." Kahlan nodded slowly, feeling Zedd tense up behind her. Killing his grandson would be the most difficult thing he would ever have to do.

"I may have a solution." Cara's voice sounded like a beacon among the fiercest storm.


	15. Simple

"Tell me about the Mother Confessor." Lily sat across from Richard, the fire slowly burning in front of them. Vivian and Amelia had long ago fallen asleep, claiming that Richard was too tiring a man - and in all the wrong ways. The two had laughed about their sexual joke, snickering to each other before finally laying down and letting sleep drift over them.

Richard stared openly at her, shock on his features. Although she was more caring than the others, he hadn't assumed she would take personal investment in his emotions. He cleared his throat, glad to finally be able to speak freely about the woman he loved without feeling searing pain.

"Her name is Kahlan Amnell. She is the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. She has bright blue eyes, much like your own." Richard laughed lightly when he saw Lily smile. "Her hair is long and dark, it cascades down her back. She is highly intelligent in both political matters and fighting. Kahlan is most definitely the deadliest woman I have ever met." Richard glanced up at the blonde. She nodded slightly, noticing the implication of what he said. Kahlan was the deadliest, and he was surrounded by Mord'Sith. That alone spoke volumes about her. "Everything about her makes my heart beat faster. I want nothing more than to love her." He spoke sadly, realizing that soon enough he'd be face to face with her. Normally, he'd be unbelievably happy at being reunited with her, but not when he was ordered to kill her. "Killing-"

"Don't kill her." Lily cut him off, her eyes full of emotion. Richard tilted his head, staring at her dumbly. "You were ordered by Denna to treat us as your superiors, to follow our orders. I'm ordering you not to kill her."

"But, why?" Richard choked out, shocked at her statement.

"I don't believe in this," Lily raised her hands and flung them in the air in a dramatic fashion. "You shouldn't be forced to kill the woman you love. The Mord'Sith are vile, vile creatures. Just as I shouldn't be forced into this life, you shouldn't be forced to kill Kahlan."

Richard's heart jumped in his throat. Perhaps there was hope. "Surely the others will notice-"

"These women are ignorant." Lily's tone was harsh and Richard almost flinched, even though it wasn't directed towards him. "They think they blindly have you under their control. They are too stupid to see that I don't agree with what's being done. Vivian and Amelia are vain and over confident. They will never suspect that I have ordered you otherwise."

Richard swallowed past the lump in his throat, his mouth suddenly very dry. A plan so simple could never work, but it still gave him the slightest glimmer of hope. "What happens when I don't kill her? When they realize that you've given me opposing orders?"

Lily smiled, looking intently at the fire before returning her gaze to him. "I will handle it all, Richard. All you need to worry about is getting Kahlan to safety." Her smile was warm and inviting, her eyes seeming to promise him her word.

"Will that even work?" Richard questioned, his mind racing.

"There's only one way to find out." Lily responded, glancing over at the sleeping forms of Amelia and Vivian before smiling and standing, walking around the woods as Richard finally let sleep take him.

xx

"It's quite simple," Cara explained, her tone showing obvious signs of irritation.

"It is not quite simple." Kahlan retorted, narrowing her eyes at the Mord'Sith.

Zedd sat back in his chair, his hand scratching at his chin. "Perhaps it is."

"Zedd!" Kahlan yelled as Cara smiled at her triumph. This was ridiculous. Her plan was full of loopholes, costly loopholes.

"See, Mother Confessor," the Mord'Sith pointed a hand towards Zedd. "Even the old man can comprehend it. And yet, you," Cara reached her hand up and knocked Kahlan in her head with a leather clad finger. "Find it so incredibly difficult. The ruler of the Midlands and you can't even wrap your head around the concept!" She harrumphed, slamming her fists on her hips as Kahlan scowled at her.

Zedd laughed. Kahlan glared at him.

Cara smiled as she took a step forward, gesturing for Kahlan to take a seat as Zedd had. She slowly did so, lowering herself as she stared at the blonde. Cara leaned over the table.

"Vivian is over confident in her abilities. She's quick to strike without thinking." Cara pounded her fist on the wooden table to get Kahlan's attention. "Mother Confessor, if you aren't going to listen, this will never work."

"It won't work to begin with!" Kahlan snapped, her jaw clenching as Zedd cast a sidelong glance at her.

"Go on, Cara," the old man spoke, disregarding Kahlan's outburst. She slumped in her chair, crossing her arms and looking at Cara through furrowed brows.

"Like I was saying, Vivian will be easy to take down. A simple trick will cause her downfall." She glanced between the two. "Amelia has a larger build than Vivian. Her moves are more exact and forceful. She doesn't have as much technique as Vivian, but her brute strength causes many of her victims to cower before her." Kahlan nodded.

"Lily will be the most difficult to kill." Cara straightened, crossing her arms as she pursed her lips. "She is the strongest and has the most technique. She is small and can maneuver well. She killed a D'Haran quad without so much as receiving a scratch. However, she is new. Unlike all other Mord'Sith, she was brought in only a year ago. Her training was hard and tedious, but most still aren't sure if she has broken fully." Cara sighed as she leaned down and rested her elbows on the table. "Quite frankly, she's a wild card. Questions of her loyalty have been circulating around. For all we know, she may be on our side."

"We can't take any chances," Kahlan said with a wave of her hand. Yet another loophole in Cara's all too 'simple' plan. Cara moved closer to her.

"Kahlan, she would be quite the addition to our merry band of companions." Cara's eyes narrowed. "After all, I was a wild card as well." Kahlan sighed and rolled her eyes, glancing at Zedd.

"Child, it seems you have everything in order."

"She does not!" Kahlan made another outburst, which seemed common within the last hour. "This plan is full of holes. It will do more harm than good!"

"My dear, you are blind to see the pure brilliance of this plan." Cara smiled and Kahlan wanted to flip the table over. Zedd looked at her with ageless eyes, offering reassurance. She was sure she wasn't about to like what she was going to hear. "You are only skeptical because so much is at stake, so much that you aren't willing to lose."

"Are you willing to lose?"

"We will lose if we don't, my child."

Kahlan sighed as she stood up, glancing at Cara and nodding her agreement.


	16. Twist

Richard sat besides Lily, waiting for Amelia and Vivian to return.

"This is a horrid idea," Richard rushed out, darting his eyes around the area. "This will never work."

"Quiet, Richard." Lily patronized, pursing her lips at him. "If you do not believe it can work, then it won't. Do you wish to have this fail?" Her eyebrows shot up in questioning as he shook his head vigorously.

"We are here, Seeker!" Richard heard Vivian's booming voice as the two crashed through the shrub, making more noise than necessary. Richard missed Kahlan's graceful movements, the way she would step around branches and roots to make her approach unheard. He smiled as he remembered teaching her some of those techniques. These women were like giant horses galloping through the woods. "Aydindril is just over the hill."

Amelia stepped beside Vivian, a triumphant smile on her face. "I can't wait to see your handy work with the Mother Confessor."

Richard glanced at Lily, whose face was hard. She told him that as long as they didn't command him to kill Kahlan, that he would be able to disregard their words. Making remarks wouldn't force Richard to do anything. Lily also told him that a simple look could be interpreted as a command. She had said that if he were ever told by the two to kill Kahlan, to look towards her, who would give him a look that commanded him otherwise. He had thanked her profusely, even though he had his doubts.

Richard's back stiffened as he looked around the woods. Something was wrong. Vivian and Amelia looked annoyed.

"Up, Seeker. The time has come for you to slay your beloved." Richard glanced at Lily. That seemed more like a command than a remark. Lily's blue eyes gave him the words he needed. She was very against him killing Kahlan, and his bond was strongest with her. Perhaps that would be all that was needed to keep him from being compelled to kill Kahlan.

"Something's wrong." He stated, standing up and turning, looking deep into the forest. It had been a week since they had left Denna and his wounds seemed to hinder him less and less. Although he was still quite battered, he was able to move.

"Cold feet, Richard?" Vivian taunted, a heartless smile on her lips. Richard hated her the most. Richard redirected his gaze towards her, matching her cold demeanor.

"Something is wrong." He reiterated, Lily looking up at him with concern. She stood and began patrolling the immediate area around them. Amelia scoffed and Vivian scowled.

"Now, you two!" Lily snapped her head in Vivian's direction and glared. "Lily, stop encouraging his behavior. You may be new at this, but this is the time we go and bathe in the blood of our enemies." Vivian smiled and Lily narrowed her eyes.

"I believe that is Richard's job, Vivian." Her tone was harsh and Vivian stiffened, unprepared for Lily's remark. "Her blood is strictly for him, and he will do with it as he wishes." Lily stormed forward, pushing between Vivian and Amelia as they stared at her with their mouths agape.

"You heard her, Seeker." Amelia snapped, making angry gestures with her arms for him to come forward and follow them. "Now!" She barked, her face red with anger. Lily back talking Vivian had clearly struck a chord.

Richard glanced behind him. Something was definitely wrong. The insistent tug of Amelia's hand on his wrist forced him forward, her speedy walk literally dragging him through the woods towards Aydindril.

xx

Denna stood a good distance back, hiding behind a tree. She had been tracking the four since the journey started. She had been quite pleased with Amelia and Vivian's constant belittling of Richard. Lily, however, was far too kind to him. It didn't matter, she would make sure the job got done. Lily was the most dependable of the Mord'Sith.

She stood from her crouched position. Denna had originally followed because she wanted to make sure Richard wasn't able to somehow escape their grasps. Now, she wanted to see the Mother Confessor's dead body with her own eyes.

xx

Kahlan sat in her Confessor's chair, watching as Zedd paced.

"Stop." Kahlan let our a frustrated breath, glancing at Zedd. Cara stood, leaning against a wall. She wasn't nervous about the oncoming battle at all. She twirled the knife that Kahlan had given her in her hand, running the blade along the palms of her leathered hands.

Kahlan was still missing a dagger. She held the one she had in her hand, gingerly running her fingers along it. Zedd had given her another weapon, shoving it at her when she began to protest. They were definitely going to need all the weapons they could get.

Her head pounded. This was a horrible, horrible idea. She wished she could just find a way to escape it. "This is a bad idea, Zedd. We shouldn't listen to Cara. Her sense of logic is warped due to her years of submission under Rahl."

Cara glared at Kahlan and Zedd shook his head. "Dear one, that is exactly why this plan will work. She thinks like a Mord'Sith. The attackers are Mord'Sith. Try to settle your nerves." Kahlan scoffed as she began squirming in her chair. She was restless and uneasy.

"Mother Confessor, you should be more apt to listen to my ideas." Kahlan rolled her eyes and Cara shook her head, obviously irritated at Kahlan's protests.

"There is too much at risk," Kahlan whispered to herself. She began shaking her head and Cara came straight for her, slamming her hands on the sides of Kahlan's chair and looking her in the eye.

"Mother Confessor, this is the only way."

"No, it's-"

Before Kahlan could finish her sentence, a loud sound resonated throughout the room. Cara turned and watched as three Mord'Sith strolled in, content with themselves. Cara could laugh at their oblivious behavior.

"Hello, Mother Confessor. I don't believe we've met." Vivian strolled in, a smile plastered on her face. Kahlan glared at the woman as Cara sauntered over to her.

"Vivian," Cara smiled.

"Cara," the green eyed woman eyed her. "I see you have chosen the losing side to fight for."

Cara smiled and turned, appearing to approach Kahlan. Vivian let out a laugh and Cara spun, back handing the woman with a closed fist. She yelped and looked up at Cara with glassy eyes. Amelia jumped in front of Vivian, her hard eyes locked on Cara.

"That was a mistake, Cara." Cara smirked as she stepped backwards, out stretching her arms in invitation. Amelia scowled and the fight began.

Kahlan's eyes searched the crowd. Amelia and Vivian were both fighting Cara, Zedd standing protectively near Kahlan. The blonde Mord'Sith was standing in the doorway, making no move to fight anyone. Lily. Kahlan moved to stand, but her knees almost gave out when she saw Richard step beside the woman. Lily whispered something in his ear, and Richard looked straight at Kahlan. Her heart stopped.

Richard glanced at the fighting Mord'Sith, not recognizing the opposing blonde that they called Cara. Lily told him to go to Kahlan and to get her out of the area before Vivian and Amelia managed to yell commands at him. When he had looked up at Kahlan, the color drained from her face.

She was scared of him.

The thought made him want to weep. He looked around and began stepping forward, speeding up until he was almost running to get to her. Lily stood to the side, watching everything unfold.

He was almost at Kahlan, her eyes growing even wider in shock as he approached her.

"Richard!" He stopped in his tracks, his eyes growing as he slowly turned around. His heart hammered and he felt like he was going to vomit.

Denna walked up through the chaos, grabbing Lily by the arm and throwing her towards him. Lily stumbled but regained her balance, turning and glaring at Denna as she stood by Richard's side.

Cara was still fighting with Amelia and Vivian - both of whom looked rather wounded. Cara looked unscathed, aside from the fight she had previously.

"What is this, Seeker?" Denna hissed, her eyes darting between Lily and Richard, and then up to reside on Kahlan. "I thought my orders were clear," Richard's heart jumped into his throat.

"Kill the Mother Confessor." Richard started moving but Lily grabbed his arm, glaring at him. Denna's face heated. "Kill the Mother Confessor!" She roared. When Richard didn't move and kept eye contact with Lily, Denna reached out a hand and knocked Lily to her feet. She grabbed Richard by his shirt and yanked him forward, his head almost knocking into hers. "Kill the Mother Confessor," her eyes narrowed. "Now."

Richard glanced towards Lily, who was still trying to regain her wits. He turned and looked at Kahlan with watery eyes.

Kahlan was mortified. She tried to back herself further against the chair, but she couldn't disappear as she wished. Zedd had ran to the other side of the room, casting out various webs that could help Cara. She didn't need the help though. Kahlan gripped the knife of her dagger as Richard approached her, sadness and determination in his eyes.

"Richard, don't!" Lily yelled, coughing as Denna kicked her. "Do not kill the Mother Confessor!" Lily kicked out a foot, causing Denna to fall to the floor.

Richard blinked, his determination gone. He needed to get Kahlan out of there. He began walking forward with new purpose and a faster speed.

Kahlan stared as she watched the fights in front of her and the one coming straight forward. She wanted to cry and curl up into a ball. Richard came rushing towards her and her fear over took her. She flicked the dagger into the palm of her hand.

Richard rushed up to her, elated. Before he could tell her of what was happening, he felt cold steel pierce through his skin and straight into his heart. His vision went black as he stared at Kahlan with horror. Tears streaked down her face.


	17. Justice

Kahlan sobbed as Richard's eyes turned cold and dead, his body slumping forward. She clenched her eyes shut as she removed her dagger, his body falling to the ground with a hard thud.

Denna and Lily had stopped fighting the minute Kahlan stabbed Richard. She was faintly aware of both of them yelling in distress. She didn't care. They did this to him, they broke him. As far as she was concerned, they broke her as well. Kahlan blinked away her tears as she swayed on her feet.

Lily looked up at Denna and took the opportunity to to kick the blonde off of her. Lily hurried forward, grabbing at Richard and staring up in disbelief at Kahlan.

"I told him not to kill you!" She screamed, tears forming in her eyes.

Kahlan shook her head slightly, tears welling up once again. Denna stood and scoffed, coming straight towards Kahlan as Lily stepped away from Richard's body. When the blonde stepped in front of her, Kahlan felt her blood boil.

Denna.

Denna was the reason everything was so horribly wrong. Denna was the reason she became so scared of Richard. Denna was the reason she had to kill her beloved. Denna was the source of all her immediate problems. Kahlan cocked her head to the side, the grip on her dagger tightening.

Lily looked towards Cara just in time to see Amelia's bulky form crash to the ground. Her eyes were lifeless. All Cara needed to do now was to kill Vivian. Lily glanced towards Kahlan and Denna before running towards the battle.

Cara was shocked to see Lily come forth, quickly jumping into the fight and striking Vivian. The two blondes were no match for her, and soon her body became just as limp and lifeless as her companion's. When Cara snapped her neck and let the body drop, she glanced up at Lily, who was breathing heavily. The two nodded at each other before turning to look at Kahlan and Denna.

Kahlan wasted no time, hitting Denna in her stomach and driving her back a few paces, forcing the two away from Richard's still form. Denna blindly swung her hands in Kahlan's direction, but she blocked them readily. The blonde had tears in her eyes and it disgusted her. This woman had no right to be upset over the loss of Richard. He was _her_ loss, not this monster's.

Zedd stood in the doorway of the room, watching. Cara glanced back at him and nodded, understanding. Kahlan needed to get her revenge, and it would be unacceptable for them to take that away from her. This woman had managed to ruin Kahlan's life, it was only right that justice was served.

Cara and Lily walked towards Zedd, standing beside him as they watched Kahlan beat Denna.

Kahlan cried freely as she struck the blonde, swinging her dagger. The two were fighting without precision, without technique. They were both slaves to the emotions they were feeling. Zedd watched with watery eyes. Cara and Lily stood silent, holding back their own tears.

Kahlan took a step back from Denna, allowing her to fall to the ground in her emotionally distraught state. The blonde looked up at her.

"You did this," Kahlan choked. "You ruined everything." She kicked the blonde in the chest, causing her to fly back. She coughed up blood. "You are the reason I became scared of the very man I loved!" Kahlan kicked her in the ribs. "You are the reason why that very man is dead!" Kahlan sobbed, taking more steps away from Denna as her tears blurred her vision.

Denna got up on her feet and swayed. "You did not want him, you betrayed him." Her breathing was labored. Kahlan shook her head, her lip quivering as she sobbed all the more. The Mord'Sith was right. She had betrayed Richard. She lied to him and said she didn't want him. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore.

Denna took a step forward and Kahlan screamed, spinning around and slicing her dagger across Denna's throat. She stood above the blonde as she grabbed at her flesh, attempting to stop the bleeding to no avail. She fell over, her head hitting the marble and her blood staining the floor. Kahlan dropped her dagger and staggered back.

"Now," Cara whispered to Zedd. Lily looked at both of them questioningly. Zedd took large strides forward, resting a hand on Kahlan's shoulder. Cara made her way past Kahlan, flipping Richard onto his back as she lowered her mouth to his.

Kahlan felt sick and as if she was going to faint. The stain on Richard's chest made her clench her eyes and turn into Zedd, seeking his arms for comfort. The old man wrapped his frail limbs around her, trying to quiet her sobbing.

Cara's lips were only a breath away from Richard's as she breathed into him the essence of life. She started to panic when he didn't respond. Perhaps they had waited too long.

Lily stepped up beside Cara and crouched down. Her eyes were glassy and shone with concern. Cara wasn't getting through. She wasn't able to give him what he needed to survive. Lily nodded at her and Cara moved to the side, allowing the other blonde to take the reigns.

Lily leaned down and let her lips hover above his. She slowly breathed into him and straightened her back.

Kahlan had no idea what the Mord'Sith were doing behind her, but she wished they would stop. She felt as though they were defiling Richard's body some way. She clutched at the wizard's robes as she cried, her body trembling.

Lily and Cara stared down at Richard, desperate to see a response. Lily smiled when she saw his chest rise slightly. Cara glanced at her fellow Mord'Sith and nodded, tears forming in her eyes. They watched as Richard fluttered his eyes open, flinching from the amount of light filtering into the room.

"Hello there, Seeker." Lily spoke, her voice breaking with emotion. A smile was on her face and Cara was smiling just as wide. He blinked, looking around but not finding what he wished.

"Kahlan?" He croaked, his heart throbbing with the need to see her, to touch her.

Kahlan froze in Zedd's arms and the old man laughed. She turned slowly, seeing as Richard propped himself up on an arm and gazed at her. She blinked, believing it was all a dream.

She smiled as she rushed forward, crashing into him and gathering him in her arms.


	18. Confessions

Kahlan sobbed as she rocked Richard in her arms, him laughing lightly. "I'm so sorry," Kahlan whispered over and over, her hold on him tightening.

"It's I who should be apologizing," Kahlan stopped her movements when she heard him say that, her face contorting. He pulled himself from her embrace, sitting in front of her on his knees as he lifted her wrists with his hands. "I'm so sorry, Kahlan. I never wanted to hurt you," Richard's voice broke, his eyes watering. He couldn't believe he had tried to kill her.

Cara and Lily stood behind Richard, smiling down at the two. Normally, Mord'Sith would be disgusted by such displays of affection, but the two couldn't help but feel touched. It was easier for Lily to revert, she had only been trained a year. However, the love that Cara felt from these two was enough to undo her lifetime of training.

Kahlan smiled and shook her head, assuring him that he had nothing to apologize for. "Kahlan, I'm-" Before he could finish his apology, Kahlan moved forward and yanked her hands away from him, wrapping them around his neck as she sobbed into his skin. Richard wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer.

"Your plan failed, dear one." Zedd looked up at Cara, amusement on his features.

"Perhaps, but it played out nicely, did it not?" Zedd laughed and Cara smiled. Kahlan disregarded the comment, no longer upset that she originally thought the plan was a failure. They hadn't expected Denna to show up, if she hadn't, maybe the plan would have worked.

"What was this plan?" Richard asked, Kahlan still wrapped in his arms.

"A horrible one." Kahlan sobbed into his skin and he laughed lightly as Cara scoffed and Zedd smiled.

"To kill the Mord'Sith and make me your new mistress." Cara lifted her hand in the air, making shooing motions. "It had many faults. The Mother Confessor was the only one to see them." Cara looked up at Zedd and he shook his head, a large smile on his face. "It was the basis for this plan to work though," she smiled.

Kahlan reluctantly pulled herself from Richard and placed her hands on the sides of his face. "Are you sure you are no longer broken?"

"He's not," Lily spoke up, taking a step forward. Kahlan and Richard looked up at her with uncertainty in their eyes. "Once a pet's mistress is dead, he is no longer subjected to do any of her will. Vivian and Amelia are also dead, and they were the only ones who would hold any weight after Denna's death."

"What about you?" Kahlan asked, her eyes darting between Richard and Lily.

"I commanded him to do nothing but to keep you alive, Mother Confessor. I hold no bearing over him." Kahlan nodded as she returned her gaze towards Richard, a smile coming back to her lips as tears continued to flow from her eyes.

"We should leave these two to reconcile," Zedd finally announced, breaking the silence. Cara and Lily laughed as they nodded, stepping over the carnage of the three dead Mord'Sith and exiting the room. Zedd followed, smiling at the two before closing the door.

"Richard, it's, I can't even describe how happy I am right now." Kahlan managed to reign in her emotions slightly, now able to control her voice a little more. She felt as though her smile would never leave her lips. Richard looked at her sadly, his eyes darting to glance around her.

"I'm, I'm sorry." He choked out.

"Stop apologizing, Richard. You were broken, there was nothing you could have done." Kahlan pleaded with him. She didn't want him to blame himself.

"I hunted you like an animal," he whispered, looking up at her with regret in his eyes. "You should have killed me."

"I did." Kahlan spat, her eyes watering once again as her lip quivered. Richard's eyes grew as he realized what he said, shaking his head when she pulled away from him fully and moved to stand.

"Kahlan, no," He stood up, grabbing her forearm and spinning her towards him. "I meant before, in the woods." Kahlan looked at him with hard eyes, shaking her head as she bit her lower lip.

"None of it matters now," Kahlan breathed out, letting Richard wrap his arms around her. "You're alive, that's all that matters." Richard kissed the top of her head before pulling away.

"I don't deserve you."

"Don't say that," Kahlan stared at him in disbelief. "If anything, I don't deserve you. I betrayed you when I left. You were broken by a Mord'Sith because of my incompetence."

Richard shook his head. "Kahlan, stop. That wasn't your fault."

"If I would have admitted how I felt, then none of this would have happened." She gestured to the dead body of Denna. "Let's stop blaming ourselves and realize exactly what we have been given."

Richard furrowed his brow as she smiled.

"A second chance." Richard nodded, but couldn't get past the aching feeling that this was all his fault, that he didn't deserve a woman such as Kahlan. She was so willing to forgive his abuse, it all seemed too unreal.

"Kahlan-"

"If you apologize or say that you don't deserve me one more time, I'm," Kahlan bit her lip. "I don't know what I'm going to do. Don't send me away, don't reject me. Please, Richard." Richard's heart broke, not wanting Kahlan to feel as though he was rejecting her or sending her away. He simply felt as though he did not deserve her. He smiled sadly at her.

"I'm s-"

Kahlan shook her head as she quickly pulled away from him, storming out of the room and out the door that led to the courtyard. Richard sighed as he slumped to the ground, burying his head in his hands. All he wanted was to love her, and now he was jeopardizing it because he felt as though she were too good for him. She was right, they needed to stop blaming themselves and realize that they have been given a glorious thing. Richard's head popped up and he scrambled to his feet, rushing out the door to find Kahlan.

xx

Kahlan sat among the small garden, lilies blooming all around her. She loved lilies. She hastily wiped at her face, attempting to remove the tear tracks that seemed permanent. She was sure she was a red and swollen mess with the way she had been crying. It didn't take long before she heard the footsteps of a man who was all too familiar.

Richard stood behind her, scared to death. He swallowed and stepped forward, moving in front of her and kneeling. He took her hand in his and licked his lips.

"Richard-"

Richard leaned in, capturing her lips in his. Instead of rejecting it like the first kiss he had given her, she embraced it, opening her mouth to allow him access. He let go of her hand and brought his up to her neck, moving some of the hair from her face. When the kiss was broken, he rested his forehead against hers.

"I'm sorry, I've been blinded by my own self loathing." Kahlan smiled and nodded.

"Yes, you have." Richard laughed and kissed her again, pulling away before it became too heated and resting his hands on the sides of her face.

"I," Richard didn't know how to say what he was about to, scared that it would give Kahlan the wrong idea or upset her. "I wasn't confessed." Kahlan furrowed her brow. "In the wayward pine, when you tried to confess me - it didn't work."

Kahlan looked around sheepishly, smiling nervously. "Perhaps Denna's hold on you interfered." Richard laughed and shook his head.

"Your magic isn't tainted by anything, Kahlan. You know that," she glanced up at him and shrugged lightly.

"But-"

"I felt it," Richard began, Kahlan's attention now fully directed towards him. "I felt your magic surge through me, it just didn't affect me."

"How?" Kahlan's voice was small and meek.

"There's nothing the magic could do to make me love you anymore than I already do." Richard's thumbs caressed the sides of her cheeks as she smiled, her eyes filling with tears. "Kahlan, we can love each other without repercussions. With no fear of confessions."

Kahlan smiled as she nodded, leaning in and pressing her lips against his. Richard dropped his hands from her neck, moving them to rest on her waist as he pulled her even closer. Kahlan's hand found it's way into his hair.

When they broke the kiss, they couldn't stop smiling.


	19. Forever

It had been three months since Richard came back to life, and in turn, gave Kahlan the life she had always wanted. The days were filled with laughter and the nights were filled with bliss. Kahlan didn't think she could ever be this happy.

Lily had quickly become a part of their tight knit family, which now consisted of Kahlan, Richard, Zedd, Cara, and Lily. Richard had a close bond with the blonde, and though at first Kahlan felt a tinge of jealously, it was all long gone. Lily had been quick to tell Kahlan that their bond was strictly friendship, that she was a comforting presence to Richard when he grieved over Kahlan. Now, Lily was like a sister to her.

Cara became acquainted with Richard quite quickly, her seductive ways causing him to laugh. The two became good friends, and Kahlan knew she had nothing to fear from Cara in regards to taking Richard. Even though Cara wouldn't admit it, the blonde and Kahlan were close friends.

Lily and Cara had taken to each other from the start, both bonding over being a Mord'Sith. They both had a crude sense of humor and were prone to resort to violence, but were also kind and caring to the people who mattered to them. Their sarcastic remarks put stitches in Kahlan, Richard, and Zedd's sides quite often.

Kahlan stepped forward in the garden, glancing at all the lilies. There was an off white runner along the grass, leading to where Richard, Zedd, Cara, and Lily were standing. Kahlan smiled as she glanced down at her dress, one of dark blue silk. It clung to her curves and she had been self conscious, concerned it was too much for the occasion. Lily and Cara had been quick to tell her that any man would be blind to refuse a woman who looked as she did. Kahlan had laughed and acted as though it didn't affect her decision, but it did. These women, along with torture, were well trained in pleasure. If they found her appealing, then Richard would as well.

She walked along the runner, her eyes finally meeting Richard's. Although she was dressed in rich clothing, she had insisted that Richard wear his wood's guide garb. He had reluctantly done so, but her explanation as to why almost brought him to tears.

"_Kahlan, I don't want you to look upon me on our wedding day and see me in these dirty rags." Richard laughed as he pulled on his shirt as if to emphasize his point._

_Kahlan smiled and shook her head, grabbing the shirt in her hands and pulling him forward. "I fell in love with you in this very clothing, Richard. Despite what you may think, this is how I always want to see you. This is who you are." Kahlan removed a hand and poked him in the chest. "Richard Cypher, the Seeker of Truth, the woods guide, the man I love, the future father of my children." Richard smiled as he leaned down and kissed her. "Besides, this is a reminder of your home, of Hartland. I know you miss it," Kahlan looked up into his eyes. "I dragged you away from your home, your family, your friends. And you came with me, as well as Zedd, with very little complaints. You did that when you were a simple woods guide, a simple man who just wanted to help a woman from getting killed by D'Harans. That simple woods guide in these rags of clothing," Kahlan pulled on his shirt again, smiling up at him as she teased. "Didn't even react when I held a knife to his throat. He simply asked me if he had done anything wrong." Kahlan moved forward. "He did."_

"_Oh, he did?" Richard questioned, tilting his head. _

"_He didn't kiss me right then and there, as he should have." Kahlan teased, her eyebrow lifting up playfully as he laughed, wrapping his arms tighter around her and planting kisses all over her face._

Richard watched as Kahlan walked through the garden, his eyes never leaving her. She was breathtaking, a good spirit in the flesh. Zedd gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, his grandfather seemingly just as happy as he.

Kahlan walked forward, blushing as she diverted her gaze. She had somehow managed to convince Cara to wear a dress, an idea the blonde was strictly opposed to. The dress was a faint green color, and it clung to her curves. Since being attacked, Kahlan had also managed to get Cara to have her hair evenly cut, getting rid of the jagged pieces that were originally there. It now hung right below her shoulders.

It didn't take much convincing to get Lily to wear a dress. In fact, her eyes had lightened up at the idea. After all, Lily was more accustomed to wearing outfits not of red leather. She was wearing a light pink dress, her hair taken down from the braid. Her blonde hair was long and curled, and Kahlan thought it complemented her better when it was down.

She took a few more steps forward, looking at the ground. When she reached the little platform that was erected, she stood in front of Richard and smiled, tears already coming to her eyes.

"I bind these two together, under the Creator's light," Zedd began speaking the bows, Richard taking Kahlan's hands in his as they gazed into each other's eyes. Kahlan hadn't been paying attention to what Zedd had been saying, and neither had Richard. The vows were just words, only solidified by what they held in their hearts.

Cara coughed and Richard and Kahlan realized that Zedd had stopped talking. Kahlan blushed as she giggled, Richard laughing heartily. Zedd smiled.

Richard didn't bother finishing the vows, as far as he was concerned, they had already vowed to each other long ago - that day in the forest when he had thought he saved her. He leaned in and captured her lips in a kiss.

Zedd smiled and Cara and Lily laughed. When the two parted, they couldn't stop smiling, which seemed to be incredibly common. Zedd came up and slapped Richard on the back, lowering his head close to the two lovers ears.

"I would like great grand children as soon as possible," Kahlan's mouth fell open as Richard laughed, nodding and saying that he would try his best.

"Wizard!" Cara yelled, scowling at him as Lily shook her head. "They have yet to leave the garden and you are already demanding things of them."

Zedd shrugged and laughed. "I am getting old, my dears." Richard and Kahlan laughed, shaking their heads.

"I'm sure you'll get your great grand children soon enough, old man." Lily teased, playfully punching Zedd's arm before smiling and congratulating Kahlan and Richard. "If the look in their eyes attests to anything, I wouldn't be surprised if she became with child tonight."

Kahlan's cheeks reddened as she clenched her eyes shut, Richard laughing and grabbing at her hand, pulling her away from the small crowd. The cheers from the three made Kahlan's heart swell. She had never had such close relationships before. Richard insistently tugged her hand, pulling her into their bedroom. _Their_ bedroom. It all seemed too good to be true.

Richard gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, letting his hand linger on her cheek, his thumb rubbing along her skin. "I love you, Kahlan Amnell."

"And I you, Richard Cypher."

She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

_**- END.**_


End file.
